Dan H.

Dan Harkins Can... ??write award-winning nonfiction. ??edit and be edited. ??build a well of sources willing to share. ??proofread copy with precision and an eye for improvement. Related experience Currently, a blogger and freelance writer or editor for dozens of government, business or academic websites and blogs. June 2011 - October 2012 Hometown News Daytona Beach, Florida STAFF WRITER/COPY EDITOR ? Wrote mainly general assignment and hard news stories, as well as many profiles and dining reviews from Daytona Beach to Orlando. ??Proofread all news/feature stories before publication. July 2008 - January 2010 Cleveland Scene Cleveland, Ohio STAFF WRITER ? Covered city and county politics in a city famous for political misdeeds. ? Wrote long-form news, feature, music, humor and personality pieces, as well as regular blog posts. ??Won first place in 2009 for community service news and second place for personality profile from the Ohio Associated Press. ? Won Social Justice Award in 2009 from Community Shares, a consortium of Cleveland's nonprofit community, as well as commendations from Cleveland City Council and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, for exposing a local law that punished black citizens more than whites for the same crime. The law has since been changed (see attached portfolio of clip links). ?? Quit when opportunity arose to move home to Florida with family. March 2006 - July 2008 Cleveland Free Times Cleveland, Ohio ASSOCIATE EDITOR (editor/writer) ??When this paper and the above Scene merged, I was among those retained. ??Previous to the merger, I edited all raw copy--then final proofs again--with time to spare. ??Created in-house style guide. ??Wrote as many stories/features as the dedicated staff writers, despite my added editorial duties. March 2005 - March 2006 Community Health Partners hospitals Lorain, Ohio COMMUNITY RELATIONS ??Coordinated hospital system's public service arm, including free, on-demand health lectures and seminars on a variety of subjects. ??Instituted hospital marketing campaign called Spirit of Women, with notable increase in community attention. ??Wrote press releases and speeches delivering company news and presentations. ??Organized and implemented company response to various public relations emergencies and opportunities. 2003 - 2006 Inside Business (supplement to Cleveland) Cleveland, Ohio CONTRIBUTING WRITER ??Wrote assigned general business and how-to stories as freelancer in addition to full-time work at The Chronicle. 1998 - 2005 The Chronicle-Telegram Elyria, Ohio STAFF WRITER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER/COPY EDITOR ??Though the bulk of my time was spent covering two vastly different communities - one rich and quiet, the other chaotic and poor -- I also put in three years on the copy desk, where we edited and designed final proofs until past midnight. During two of those years, I ran the production of the Sunday edition, designed page one and selected national and world news for publication. Won a half-dozen first-place awards through these years from the Society of Professional Journalists and Ohio Associated Press. 1997 - 1998 St. Petersburg Times St. Petersburg, Florida INTERNSHIP ??Began as freelancer before graduating from college, stayed on in extended internship as staffer, writing mostly features. Left to move north to Cleveland. 1994 - 1997 The Oracle, USF's student paper Tampa, Florida WRITER/EDITOR ??Reporter/columnist from freshman to senior year, including stints as editorial editor, features editor and managing editor. 1989 - 1993 U.S. Army, tactical linguist in 82nd Airborne Ft. Bragg, N.C. SPANISH LINGUIST/MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ? Veteran of first Gulf War with 82nd Airborne, in Saudi Arabia then Iraq. ? Operated (and carried on my back) millions in radio-intercept equipment. ??Reluctant paratrooper who performed 38 jumps, attaining the rank of sergeant within four-year enlistment. ? Won Soldier of the Year for company and brigade two years before honorable discharge. Also, first runner-up in 82nd Airborne Division's Soldier of the Year contest the year before I left for college. Education 1993 - 1997 University of South Florida Tampa, Florida ??120 hrs. in mass communications/print journalism 1989-1990 Defense Language Institute Monterey, California ??Spanish fluency training (one year) References Anastasia Pantsios, staff writer, Cleveland Scene -- [login to view URL] Matt Westerhold, editor, Sandusky Register -- [login to view URL] Andy Young, editor, The Chronicle-Telegram -- [login to view URL] Ben Nagy, news editor, The Chronicle-Telegram -- [login to view URL]