Daria Blackwell

Sailing Experience

Daria Blackwell started sailing at the late age of 15 when she discovered the joy of harnessing the wind to glide effortlessly (well almost) over Lake George aboard a Sunfish. She soon progressed up to Hobie 16s and acquired her first boat, a Hobie 18, in her mid-20s. She and her partner trailered that Hobie to wherever there was water in the summer all up and down the Eastern seaboard, launching it from place to place and camping on the beaches beside it at night. They chartered in the Caribbean in the winter, exploring the possibilities of keel boat ownership and expanding the dreams.

The dream started growing though, and soon she was doubling the size of her (like so many of us coastal sailors do) vessel to a comfortable Sabre 36. The Sabre lived on Chesapeake Bay where gunkholing was the joy of the season from April through November. They chartered her when they weren't sailing. When it came to part ways, Daria cried all the way from Annapolis where the boat was sold to New Jersey, certain that the dream had ended.

Nope. The dream had just begun to take shape. After island and coastal chartering and with renewed enthusiasm for all things in life, Alex and Daria purchased a Frers 41 which they sailed happily for years on Long Island Sound with their cruising kitty, Onyx. They are now restoring a classic Bowman 57, which they named Aleria, in preparation for an eventual world cruise.

Daria holds certifications in Advanced Coastal Navigation, weather prediction, and HAM radio operation. She is currently studying to acquire a 100-ton Captain's License. Daria and Alex have been the webmasters for the highly acclaimed American Yacht Club website, www.americanyc.com, since 1999. They built it from zero base to an excess of 17,000 visitors per month in just over two years.

Management Experience

Demonstrated entreprenurial success:

Launched and built both White Seahorse, Inc and Knowledge Clinic, Inc. into successful thriving economic concerns.

Extensive top-level management experience

Successfully managed two healthcare communications companies, with direct responsibility for Creative and Client Services, Studio, Finance, and Operations.
Led the merger of Dugan/Farley and Lewis Gace Bozell and firmly established the new entity Bozell Global Healthcare under the True North banner.
Understands the pharmaceutical business, including Rx, OTC, and nutritionals.
One of a nine-member panel of senior executives appointed at True North to re-engineer the healthcare operations, including recommendations for divestitures, acquisitions, start-ups and mergers, as well as positioning to the financial and pharmaceutical communities.
As President of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, led a reorganization taking it from a single chapter with 1500 members to a national organization with 7 chapters and affiliates, 2500 individual members and 85 corporate members, and now expanding globally in three years.

A strong leader of multidisciplinary teams

Led the most integrated team of professionals in True North Communications to launch and market The Merck Manual — Home Edition, Spanish Edition, Online Edition, and Centennial Edition.
Strategically involved Medical, DTC, DRM, Distributor, PR, Multicultural, and Cyber network divisions and managed their relationships with the team and client.

Embraces fully integrated communications strategy

Published articles ("Beyond Banner Advertising", "Becoming Woman Wise", and "Achieving Cultural Competence") that stress the need for a new model of multidimensional media integration, incorporating the power of one-to-one permission marketing (relative to privacy issues).
Develops communications strategies that clearly link tactical programs to all audiences that affect the prescribing and adherence/continuation decisions

Seeks out innovative solutions that serve audience needs while satisfying business objectives

Led the launch of The Merck Manual — Online Edition via a measured cyber advertising and PR effort that produced the most effective click-through rate ever recorded by health-oriented websites.
Helped developed strategic plans and content for a variety of non-medical websites including a yacht club (Americanyc.com), a restaurant (QuayCottage.com), an advertising agency (DuganFarley.com), and a non-profit

Click here for professional experience summary.

	Daria Blackwell Sailing Experience Daria Blackwell started sailing at the late age of 15 when she discovered the joy of harnessing the wind to glide effortlessly (well almost) over Lake George aboard a Sunfish. She soon progressed up to Hobie 16s and acquired her first boat, a Hobie 18, in her mid-20s. She and her partner trailered that Hobie to wherever there was water in the summer all up and down the Eastern seaboard, launching it from place to place and camping on the beaches beside it at night. They chartered in the Caribbean in the winter, exploring the possibilities of keel boat ownership and expanding the dreams. The dream started growing though, and soon she was doubling the size of her (like so many of us coastal sailors do) vessel to a comfortable Sabre 36. The Sabre lived on Chesapeake Bay where gunkholing was the joy of the season from April through November. They chartered her when they weren't sailing. When it came to part ways, Daria cried all the way from Annapolis where the boat was sold to New Jersey, certain that the dream had ended. Nope. The dream had just begun to take shape. After island and coastal chartering and with renewed enthusiasm for all things in life, Alex and Daria purchased a Frers 41 which they sailed happily for years on Long Island Sound with their cruising kitty, Onyx. They are now restoring a classic Bowman 57, which they named Aleria, in preparation for an eventual world cruise. Daria holds certifications in Advanced Coastal Navigation, weather prediction, and HAM radio operation. She is currently studying to acquire a 100-ton Captain's License. Daria and Alex have been the webmasters for the highly acclaimed American Yacht Club website, www.americanyc.com, since 1999. They built it from zero base to an excess of 17,000 visitors per month in just over two years. Management Experience Demonstrated entreprenurial success: Launched and built both White Seahorse, Inc and Knowledge Clinic, Inc. into successful thriving economic concerns. Extensive top-level management experience Successfully managed two healthcare communications companies, with direct responsibility for Creative and Client Services, Studio, Finance, and Operations. Led the merger of Dugan/Farley and Lewis Gace Bozell and firmly established the new entity Bozell Global Healthcare under the True North banner. Understands the pharmaceutical business, including Rx, OTC, and nutritionals. One of a nine-member panel of senior executives appointed at True North to re-engineer the healthcare operations, including recommendations for divestitures, acquisitions, start-ups and mergers, as well as positioning to the financial and pharmaceutical communities. As President of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, led a reorganization taking it from a single chapter with 1500 members to a national organization with 7 chapters and affiliates, 2500 individual members and 85 corporate members, and now expanding globally in three years. A strong leader of multidisciplinary teams Led the most integrated team of professionals in True North Communications to launch and market The Merck Manual — Home Edition, Spanish Edition, Online Edition, and Centennial Edition. Strategically involved Medical, DTC, DRM, Distributor, PR, Multicultural, and Cyber network divisions and managed their relationships with the team and client. Embraces fully integrated communications strategy Published articles ("Beyond Banner Advertising", "Becoming Woman Wise", and "Achieving Cultural Competence") that stress the need for a new model of multidimensional media integration, incorporating the power of one-to-one permission marketing (relative to privacy issues). Develops communications strategies that clearly link tactical programs to all audiences that affect the prescribing and adherence/continuation decisions Seeks out innovative solutions that serve audience needs while satisfying business objectives Led the launch of The Merck Manual — Online Edition via a measured cyber advertising and PR effort that produced the most effective click-through rate ever recorded by health-oriented websites. Helped developed strategic plans and content for a variety of non-medical websites including a yacht club (Americanyc.com), a restaurant (QuayCottage.com), an advertising agency (DuganFarley.com), and a non-profit Click here for professional experience summary.