Catherine Fraser

Contact Information

Office: 13-121
Phone: 650 358-6889x9643
E-mail: fraserc@smccd.net

Biographical Sketch

Professional Experience:

Canada College-Adjunct Professor, Small Business Development:

For the past few years I have been teaching a 1 unit course each semester entitled “Developing the Tools you need to Create your Marketing Plan”. Class size varies from 5-28 people, all entrepreneurs who are developing their new businesses in all areas of expertise from retail and restaurant to import/export and manufacturing. I spend far more time with them than just the lecture—getting them involved in a network of like companies, introducing them to potential clients, mentoring at all stages of development and critiquing their work, helping them to grow the best businesses they can do. In addition I often give short seminars on items in my field of expertise.

Fraser Advertising & Fraser 2 Design:

On February 1, 1989 I started a fast-growing business specializing in recruitment advertising from my home. Subsequently I purchased another company to incorporate full service advertising and marketing into the existing mix and later added a unique Job Fair product. In the 13+ years that Fraser was in business, the agency boasted 12 associates and over $6 million in annual billings along with owning a commercial office building to house it all.

Mine was a unique company based on the "entrepreneur as employee" concept, as many of my employees would work from their own home. Our business involved planning and implementing creative strategies for local and national clients in a variety of industries. We designed and developed award winning campaigns in all types of media; Created newsletters, advertisements, collateral, point of purchase materials, logo concepts, internet advertising and marketing; special events and promotions. I sold the corporation to my largest competitor, Bernard Hodes Group/Omnicom, in 2002.

Additional advertising and marketing agency background:

Formerly worked for: DS&E-Los Angeles, CA; Howard Advertising- Woodland Hills & Los Altos, CA; Donahue & Assoc.-San Francisco, CA; BSA-San Mateo, CA
Responsible for:

Obtaining new business; managing and training staff; servicing a wide variety of small and large accounts from medical to high technology.
Scope of work included media planning, college recruitment, collateral, creative and copywriting aspects of clients' campaign development.
Established a new branch office for one agency in the San Francisco Bay area.

Entertainment Promotion Development:

Stuart Anderson's Restaurants Corporate Headquarters- Los Altos, CA

Designed and implemented marketing promotions for a national chain of 117 locations.
Created entertainment promotion plans to generate increased traffic in the nightclub area.
Selected music, developed P.O.P. material, supervised creative design and printing, budget planning.

Education:

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
Bachelor of Science, Journalism. Concentration in Public Relations and Advertising

Professional Affiliations:

Board of Directors since 1994, Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors, Sequoia Awards/A Volunteer Appreciation Organization which grants scholarships to high school children for their college education.
Board of Directors, Redwood City Downtown Business Association, served as Vice President
AIRAA President, (Association of Independent Recruitment Advertising Agencies)- an affiliation of 17 advertising agencies around the world
Small Business Development Board for San Mateo County
Advisory Board, Redwood City Education Foundation

Awards:

Athena Businesswoman of the Year, 2000
Community Builder’s graduate