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ABOUT US Tom Figel | ||||||||
In 1985, Tom Figel founded the public relations firm that evolved into today's Lake Effect Communications, LLC. Mixing traditional public relations services with networking programs, introductions, and modern communication, Lake Effect Communications serves professional firms, new ventures, and real estate enterprises. Before starting his own firm, Tom was at Janet Diederichs & Associates of Chicago. He started there in 1980 after moving back to his native Chicago after being a partner in a Palm Beach, FL firm serving Gucci, the Science Museum of Palm Beach County, Israel Bonds, and various real estate enterprises. In 1983, Tom received an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He has worked in public relations since the 1970s, shortly after graduating from Notre Dame with a B.A. He served in the U.S. Army for two years, most of it as a paratrooper assigned to a Special Forces Group in Massachusetts, then briefly worked as a stringer for the Hartford Courant's Old Saybrook, CT bureau and as a writer for a Prentice Hall subsidiary. Married and the father of four, Tom has interests that include running, Notre Dame class activities (he is secretary), and the study of Spanish. He is a volunteer instructor of English as a Second Language for Hispanic students meeting in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. ♦ ♦ ♦
Spencer Maus has more than 14 years experience in media and investor relations, crisis communications, business positioning and advance work. He has worked with public and private corporations in international distribution, law firms, technology and software, home health care, Internet broadcasting, mortgage brokerage, international trade, entertainment, petroleum products, investment banking and industrial products. He also has guided or assisted with political campaigns and public affairs projects. His career also includes more than 15 years of experience in sales, sales training and management, and business development, primarily in the financial services industry and investment banking fields. In investor relations, Spencer has been responsible for media relations, buy and sell side analyst coverage, message development, and execution of peer and shareholder analysis. Also, he soloed three successful client road shows and assisted with the organization of an IPO syndicate. He has represented more than 22 public companies in a wide spectrum of industries. From 1981-1984 he was a stock market business reporter for WXLW-AM radio and provided "off air" stock market reports to WLWI-TV Channel 13 in Indianapolis. In Los Angeles, he was one of three hosts on KHWY-TV's "Charting the Market" from 1992-1994. Spencer received his BA from Franklin College of Indiana in 1974 and performed post-graduate work at Butler University. Spencer is a member of the MIT Enterprise Forum, Chicago chapter, and served on the board from 2004 through 2007. He remains active with the organization, created to serve both the technology and entrepreneurial Chicago communities. ♦ ♦ ♦
Before joining Lake Effect Communications, Kevin worked for 13 years as a staff writer and editor with the Law Bulletin Publishing Company in the real estate division, working on such publications as Real Estate Magazine, Chicago Industrial Properties, The Metro-Chicago Office Guide, The Metro-Chicago Retail Space Guide, Metro Chicago Real Estate Magazine and the Illinois Real Estate Journal. He also wrote and edited the company's quarterly newsletter, Bulletin Briefs. In 1998 he became an account executive with Figel Public Relations, which evolved into the current Lake Effect Communications, LLC. A graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in communications (with a concentration in journalism), he lives in Downers Grove, where he is a board member of the Friends of the Downers Grove Library. A life-long classic film buff, he maintains a blog, kevinsmoviecorner.blogspot.com. ♦ ♦ ♦
Van is a New York City native who first arrived in the Midwest in 1998 to attend Holy Cross College. During his sophomore year he transferred to the University of Notre Dame. After receiving his BA in American Studies with a concentration in English and Journalism, he took a position teaching English in Japan. Van spent a year and a half educating children, business professionals and retirees on English language and American customs. While in the Far East, he lived in Tokyo but also explored Hokkaido, Kyoto and Hiroshima, as well as South Korea and Thailand. After returning to the United States, Van moved to Chicago and worked as an Account Executive for Yahoo's! online job board, HotJobs. After the Chicago office closed, Van had stints at McDougal Littell, a division of Houghton Mifflin, Chicago Title and Trust, Banco Popular, and The International Rotary Club before getting his break in public relations. He worked in the Healthcare practice at Fleishman-Hillard, an Omnicom company, before landing with Lake Effect Communications. Van resides in Lincoln Park and is the President of the Chicago chapter of the Holy Cross Alumni Organization. When he's not pitching reporters or drafting press releases, you can catch him running along North Avenue Beach or in South Bend cheering on the Fighting Irish. |
