Joanne Cimiluca

Executive Director, Division of Economic Development

August 2015 – Present: Bergen County Economic Development, NJ

  • Establish business attraction/retention/expansion and real estate development plans to create jobs in a County with 950,000+ residents and tax base of over 200 billion.

  • Operate the Bergen County Business Resource Network which offers free small business consulting and intelligent data mining to thousands of business owners.

  • Connect 45,000+ Bergen County businesses and 70 municipalities to local, county and state resources including grants, loans, commercial properties, tax incentives & more.

  • Develop unique tourism and film attraction strategies to triple ROI.

Chief Communications Strategist

February 2010 – August 2015: Creative Concepts and Copywriting, NJ

  • Wrote succinct and persuasive copy for web, print, TV, radio, video, outdoor etc.

  • Helped clients identify a brand voice and market their unique selling points.

  • Clients included: Mercedes-Benz, Subway Restaurant, Amtrak, CohnReznick, JetBlue, ADP, Kristian Regale, PepsiCo, Kraft.

Director of Marketing and Business Development

November 2010 – May 2012: Studio 5 Partnership, NJ

  • Created and executed fresh, entertaining, and conceptually branded e-newsletters yielding a 42% open rate on Constant Contact and two new lucrative clients for this architectural firm.

  • Directed and developed a mailer highlighting the features and benefits of doing business with the firm, which generated a 30% response rate.

  • Directed and developed a direct mail campaign with a 30% response rate highlighting the features and benefits of doing business with the firm.

  • Projects included: Forest City Ratner Companies, 24 Hour Fitness, YMCA, Westchester’s Ridge Hill Lifestyle Center

Executive Director, Economic Development

November 2006 – July 2010: Bergen County Economic Development Corporation, NJ

  • Served as head of the Economic Development Board to expand jobs and boost economic vitality.

  • Spearheaded a 2-year initiative to develop a 22-acre Bio Life Science Technology Park in Hackensack, NJ that would advance medical research and technology, create jobs and attract global talent to the region.

  • Hosted briefings that yielded over $500 million in grant applications for Bergen County corporations.

Director of Marketing, Branding and Public Relations

March 2006 to November 2006: Somerset Development, NJ

  • Acted as a spokesperson to the media and public for this regional developer known for building high-performing, value-creating, energy-saving neighborhoods where houses, offices, public transit, shopping and leisure activities are within a walkable space.

  • Created marketing materials, press releases, news stories and print ads for each development.

Creative Director, Copy

May 1998 – March 2006: Bernard Hodes Group, NYC

  • Crafted corporate advertising and branding messages for web, print, direct mail, email, transit, outdoor, cinema, video and radio with Omnicom sister agencies BBDO and DDB Worldwide.

  • Clients included: NYPD, Merck, AIG Financial Services, Siemens, McGraw-Hill, Standard & Poor’s, Citizens Bank, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Ann Taylor, L’Oreal, Michael Page International.

Senior Copywriter

November 1994 – May 1998: Einson Freeman, NJ

  • Collaborated with Senior Art Directors to translate ideas into revenue-boosting advertising and marketing campaigns for web, print and direct mail with WPP sister agencies Ogilvy, J. Walter Thompson and Saatchi & Saatchi.

  • Clients included: Reynolds Metals, Sears, Amtrak, Nestle, Sunbeam, IBM, Unilever, Bayer, Weight Watchers

Board Chair/President, Friends of the Barrymore

November 2020 – Present: Barrymore Film Center (BFC), Fort Lee, NJ

Education

  • Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, Bachelor of Arts, Journalism and Communications

  • School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, Copywriting and Design Courses