About 

Overview

BRM is a full service marketing firm that specializes in the strategic development, implementation and continued execution of integrated marketing programs and services. We Bring Results by maximizing the skills and talents of your team and blending them with ours to ensure you meet your goals.

Dealing with the "right" firm will allow your organization to maximize efforts and enables you to successfully complete projects on time and under budget.

Tonia M. Blackwood
Chief Launcher

A seasoned marketing professional, Tonia Blackwood, brings BR MarketLaunch LLC (BRM) over 15 years of experience in all facets of sales and marketing strategy, channel communications, customer service and program management. Tonia is recognized in her industry for her ability to make cutting-edge decisions, build and execute successful marketing programs and lead energetic result-oriented teams. These qualities support her ability to manage all types of business challenges, which includes supporting the marketing needs of start up, turnaround and growth organizations. All while effectively controlling the bottom line and providing value for all concerned.

Before BRM, Tonia served as the Member Engagement Program Manager for CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association. Tonia successfully implemented and managed both the Membership Lifecycle and Member Education Programs for a membership base exceeding 10,000 members. Prior to this role, she served as the Industry Information Manager to the Technology Learning Group where she managed all marketing communications, print media, web content development, and events marketing.

As a prelude to CompTIA, Tonia's professional contributions at Thomson-Prometric included departmental supervision of marketing communications, corporate communications and events, domestic and international channel communications for over 3,000 partners, and operations management for five international call centers.

Along with her unique blend of skills and leadership style, her natural ability to identify, develop and execute creative marketing solutions for customer service, retention and process management has enabled Tonia to consistently meet high-level business goals and objectives.

Her philantrophic contributions include the Baltimore City Tsunami initiative - BaltimoResponds, Rotary International projects that have benefited YMCA programs, Community Food Ministries, Disabled Veterans and the Catonsville School District. Tonia currently resides in Harford County.

Caprece Jackson-Garrett
Public Relations & Media Affairs

Caprece Jackson-Garrett is a high energy marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience in promotion, media and public relations, professional writing, event planning and fundraising. Caprece has coordinated events for numerous organizations including American Red Cross of Central Maryland, Port Discovery, United Way of Central Maryland and the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC); the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fund, the Washington Office on Africa and the Haitian Embassy. Her client roster as a professional writer in the Washington/Baltimore market, New York City and Paris, France features JCPenneys, Hechts, ELLE Magazine, Fairchild Publications, the Allegis Group and The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Prior to joining BRMarketLaunch, Caprece served as Press Secretary to the Baltimore City Council for three and a half years. She played key roles in planning Mayor Martin O’Malley’s 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Annual State of the City Address, and several citywide events including Bea Gaddy Day and Baltimore Responds: a Tsunami relief initiative sponsored by the Baltimore City Council. Interim projects include writing a program script and planning events for the 2005 Miss USA Pageant, managing media services for Redzone News Management on a contractual basis for seven months, and producing a press conference in Baltimore for the Atlanta-based Stringer Foundation’s “Adopt A School Program.”

Brian Alexander
Creative Design and Production

Brian brings over twelve years of creative expertise to the team. His focus areas include trade booth exhibit design, collateral material, PowerPoint presentations, proposals, web site design, annual reports, postcards, brochures, direct mailers, interactive presentations for kiosks and graphic elements for booths at conferences. Through strategic partnerships, Brian also provides BRM clients with a full range of production services, which include computer graphic design, animation, illustration, video/photography, programming, conceptualization and design.

Placida Blackwood
Client Services - Business Development

A key contributor to the BR MarketLaunch team, Placida Blackwood brings over 8 years of expertise in marketing, where her concentrations include client services, event planning, program management and marketing collateral design and production. Placida's diverse background allows her to contribute creatively in various industry verticals. Having worked "in and for" associations, she understands the unique needs and special interests of member engagement, development and retention. In the corporate workspace, her years of experience with a leading NYC public relations firm positions BRM to identify the marketing needs and requirements of the consumer goods, retail, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications markets.

Tory Smith
Client Services - Business Development

A key contributor to the BR MarketLaunch team, Tory Smith brings over 10 years of expertise in sales and marketing, where his concentrations include sales, account management, marketing, lead management and with an extensive background in the professional licensure and certification testing industry. Tory's major strengths include self motivation, effective communications, organization, team-building and leadership skills.

Tory has a proven track record for developing winning sales and marketing programs that regularly exceed target objectives and goals. Tory’s strong background in lead management and new process implementation allows him to assess our clients’ overall sales processes, produce competitive analysis’ that result in the launch of new programs designed to considerably increase profit margins. In the corporate and non-profit workspace, his years of experience positions BRM to identify the sales and marketing needs and requirements of the trade show, education, athletic, healthcare, certification and licensure markets.

Melanie Pyne
Business Development - Operations

Like many on BR MarketLaunch’s team, Melanie Pyne’s diverse background becomes a valuable resource for BRM’s clients. With expertise in the planning and execution of global/national brand strategies and initiatives in the wine and spirit industry, Melanie brings over 7 years of creative sales and marketing experience. Knowledge of consumer purchasing and trend behavior, brand positioning and creative concept design plays a pivotal role in BRM’s strategic development and implementation.

Melanie is involved with many philanthropic projects in the Baltimore area ~ Koffee Talk, BreastFest and My Sisters Circle ~ developing market strategy, business development and event planning. Melanie is a graduate of Towson State University with a BS in Mass Communications - Advertising and Public Relations. She and her husband live in Baltimore.

Clients
Aiming Higher!
Blue Crab Multimedia LLC
Center for Women in Information Technology/UMBC
Clipper City
Computer Technology Industry Association
GP Virtually There
Insights, Inc.
JS Group, Inc.
Let's Talk Business Network
MARER Construction LLC
MDRE Equities LLC
Optemax, LLC.
Papa Bears Childcare
Small Business Resource Center
St. Philips Family Life Center
TAO Construction Company, Inc.
Total Marketing Toolkit
USCITEC
VisioNet, Inc.

Testimonials

"BR MarketLaunch has provided a broad array of marketing resources for the Center for Women and Information Technology (CWIT) at UMBC, including a new brochure design, event displays, and special event coordination. I am very impressed by their ability to consistently provide high quality products and creative designs that capture and convey our message. Their personal attention to the unique needs of our organization has been outstanding. We may be a small organization, but I always feel like our needs are their priority!"

Claudia Morrell, Executive Director
Center for Women and Information Technology

"Let's Talk Business Network, Inc. has worked with BRM on the delivery of several of our business development programs. They consistently provided us top-level support in a program manager role in a variety of areas. The BRM team interfaced directly and successfully with my company in all areas of program development and release, marketing, technology and communications with third party vendors, sponsors, and manufacturers. They are timely, extremely affable and able to work comfortably and efficiently with all members of an organization from administrator to director. Overall, BRM has proven to be competent, and a pleasure work with."

Larry Kesslin, President
Let's Talk Business Network, Inc.

"As a marketing consultant who has implemented and rolled out hundreds of major marketing projects and events, I can confidently say that Tonia is one of the best marketing project managers I have ever worked with. Her ability to take the most chaotic hair brain ideas and turn them into smooth running, successful events is commendable. She is creative, resourceful, detail oriented, and most importantly, keeps her word. When she promises to get something done, you can count on her to do it AND do it right. I have no hesitations in recommending her to anyone."

Robin Robins, President
Total Marketing Toolkit.com