User:Frank Goad

Who: Frank Goad

Where: Lexington, Kentucky

What: Owner and president of Frank Communications Lexington, dba Frank Communications, a marketing, advertising, writing, editorial, photography, video production and Internet advertising company. Goad has been in communications for over thirty years in the fields of television production, magazine publishing, writing and editorial, graphic design, sales, marketing, photography, video production, printing and other endeavors.

Why: Goad is recognized by friends, coworkers and clients as a highly creative individual with lots of drive. Whenever he writes, it's not about the paycheck but, instead, about offering information that may help make someone else's life better or more profitable. He believes that, "To be successful, I must first help others succeed." Learning the term "servant leadership" delighted him and crystallized many of the aspects that drive him in his career and life. He said, "No one is above another in their last breath. That we may rise in power or wealth during life is less important than the legacy of caring we leave when we expire. Thieves who are loved by many may be better persons than community leaders who receive fealty in public and scorn in private." When he owned his magazine, "Business-to-Business" in the early 90's, he declared that it's mission was to, "Provide the reader with at least one piece of usable information that they would be able to use to improve their life or those of family and coworkers. Glamor must always bow to utility." From his college career studying scenic and lighting design for theatre through his present-day endeavor, his focus has always been on three things: Communication, collaboration and creativity.

Background: Goad started his career studying scenic and lighting design for theatre at the University of Kentucky under Dr. Robert Wills, Dr. Roger Burch, Dr. Gvazden Kopani, Dr. Wallace Briggs, Mr. Charles Dickens, and other notable and distinguished teachers. During his career, he also worked in professional, semi-professional and amateur arenas through acting, directing and design opportunities.

Upon graduation, Goad was employed by WKYT-TV, Channel 27 in Lexington, Kentucky. While not having been trained in television or broadcast communications, he was hired on the strength of his photography and scenic design portfolio and the many main stage shows for which he had designed the lighting. The station was embarking on a series new shows and his scenic design and construction skills were immediately put to work. From there he spent over four years working at Kentucky Educational Television. After arriving, he was soon promoted to Assistant Lighting Director, and then later performed as Acting Lighting Director. During that time, he won the Eudora Welty Award for his work on a video teen drama project used in schools across the southeast.

Upon leaving television, Goad went on to an abbreviated law school career cut short by the birth of his son and the financial burdens it precipitated. From there he went into technology marketing working for firms such as The Tandy Corporation and AT&T. From there he returned to his design roots and began working for Hughes Media, a regional advertising agency.

He was recruited from the agency to help found Lane communications with publisher Ed Lane of Lexington, Kentucky. The company's flagship magazine, The Lane Report, continues to this day, over twenty years later. While there, Goad shepherded the publication of Kentucky Commerce, a bi-monthly magazine, for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

From there Goad went on to other successful endeavors including Director of Marketing for Tele-Tech Company, a national technical services firm whose customers included AT&T, Verizon (GTE) and a host of international communications equipment manufacturers. From there he was recruited by Rand McNally as an Account Executive in their Versailles, Kentucky, operation to oversee book manufacturing accounts of publishers such as Rodale Press, Scholastic, Publications International and Reader's Digest.

From there, Goad was hired by Lexmark International where he spent nine years. His first three years were spent managing the advertising for their Supplies Division, focusing mainly on the North American market with some international responsibilities. The supplies division was merged into the other two Lexmark divisions (laser and inkjet manufacturing) and Goad accepted a position in Worldwide Services where, for two years, he performed business analysis and project management. From there Goad was promoted to the Worldwide Services Technical Training unit where he developed and implemented an e-learning system used across the world, created classroom content and created a series of training videos also used worldwide. Of particular note is that his training materials were easily adapted for use everywhere by creating them using a minimum of English in order to avoid geographic and cultural barriers.

From there he later accepted a position at Asbury University as their Director of Marketing and Communication, the first to hold that position. The majority of the marketing programs he implemented before leaving in November of 2009 are still being used and continue to help expand the Asbury name and increase the applications to the school.

Websites: The Frank Communications website

Thinking On It

Frank Goad's Blogs: The Frank Communications business blog - marketing, advertising, branding and the business life

I was thinking ..., a blog about life and perhaps some suggestions on how to have a happier one

Frank's Silicon Buffet, a blog about technology, absurdity and strange and wonderful things

Social Media:

LinkedIn

Facebook

Twitter

Business Lexington articles - enter "Frank Goad" in the search box at right on their home page

YouTube videos - the FrankyGeeLex channel (includes Quick Biz Bite videos made for Business Lexington)