A Grammar Grabbers Web Site Page

EXPERIENCE:

November 2002. Began volunteering as a trained and certified Literacy Tutor in Durham Region (Ontario), by 2003 in both classroom and one-to-one individual student settings.

March 1997 - present. Freelance / contract writer-editor serving a wide variety of businesses (and offering modem transfer capabilities).

November 1984 - February 1997, Toronto-Dominion Bank, as Publications Officer and Editorial Analyst.

• Reviewed, wrote and edited various internal and public documents, including circulars and
  marketing information;
• Edited documents from client departments for grammar, clarity and organization;
  
• Researched and prepared procedures for new systems;
• Quality-control analysis and management of branch manuals and supplementary material;
• Prepared / edited reports for Award of Excellence publication.

A verbal or written reference can be obtained from the Toronto-Dominion Bank by contacting its Operations Division Human Resources Department.

April 1982 - November 1984. Freelanced as writer / editor for various corporations and business publications.

July 1978 - April 1982, Canadian Co-operative Credit Society, as Writer-Editor and Communications Officer.

• Wrote and co-ordinated production of Annual Reports / Financial Summaries;
• Wrote senior management speeches;
• Prepared research papers and audio-visual scripts;
• Co-developed publication policies;
• Wrote media / press releases and weekly "Briefs" newsletter;
• Wrote information booklets / folders;
• Prepared conference support materials;
• Edited management reports;
• Wrote promotional letters.

June 1970 - March 1978, Prudential Insurance Company of Canada (since sold to London Life), as Staff Writer and Sales Promotion Specialist.

• Developed, wrote and produced internal sales promotion campaigns;
• Scripted and co-produced audio-visual shows;
• Researched legal, business and other developments for promotional copy;
• Wrote promotional letters for sales vice-presidents.

July 1969 - June 1970, temporary position with Ontario Dept. of Health branch.

• Wrote technical literature;
• Edited and up-dated articles;
• Wrote news releases.

May 1967 - July 1969, Maclean-Hunter Ltd., as Assistant Editor of "Office Equipment & Methods" business publication (since restructured).

• Researched and wrote articles on office management as well as electronic data processing;
• Edited news / features pages;
• Participated in editorial planning;
• Co-ordinated layout and production (with Editor / advertising dept.);
• Conducted surveys of trends / equipment for special reports;
• Reported on trade shows.

May 1966 - August 1966, Honeywell Controls Ltd. (summer position prior to final year at Ryerson).

• Provided editorial and production assistance for employee publication;
• Wrote media articles.

COMPUTER SKILLS

• Completed courses for Wang and Xerox desk-top publishing (1980 and 1987);
• Successfully concluded training in DOS and Windows (1993) and WordPerfect for Windows (1994);
• Self-trained in OS/2 and acquired detailed expertise in HTML writing and design, including the use of colours, backgrounds, tables, animated icons, images, sounds, etc. (beginning in 1995);
• Developed Grammar Grabbers web site in 1996.

EDUCATION:

• Served as special reporter and Campus Editor of "Daily Ryersonian" newspaper and as member of Communications Student Senate at Toronto's Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (now called Ryerson University);
• Graduated from Ryerson's 3-year journalism course in 1967;
• Received Business Journalism Certificate from Business Press Editors Association in 1968;
• Awarded Bachelor of Applied Arts (Journalism) degree in 1973 when Ryerson gained degree-granting status;
• Completed training as Literacy Volunteer in 2003.