The Long Island Marketing Networking Group Continues To Expand

Marketing and communications executives across Long Island are supporting sales, developing new customers and building corporate branding, and they are sharing their many success stories with peers through The Long Island Marketing Networking Group.

More than 200 professionals represent Altice USA, CA Technologies - a Broadcom Company and Canon USA. They also are associated with Globecomm, Hain Celestial Group and other companies and nonprofits. Business owners, too, are members of the organization, learning more about marketing, advertising, public relations and other communications strategies.

The Long Island Marketing Networking Group is one of the fastest growing professional organizations in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Through word of mouth, LinkedIn, Facebook and collaboration with other organizations such as the Social Media Association, the organization provides informative and entertaining after-work events for both employed and displaced marketing communications professionals.

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To learn more about the Long Island Marketing Networking Group, contact Larry Drago at limarketingng@gmail.com .

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Monthly meetings with featured speakers are held on Tuesday evenings. Discussion topics include marketing strategies, crises communications and the creation of online business objectives. The presentations address the many diverse responsibilities of executives within the marketing communications sector.

Started A Decade Ago

With the current booming economy and low employment, recollections of the last major economic downturn might be classified as ancient history. But, the crises that touched just about every household on Long Island occurred only 10 years ago.

At that time, several talented executives who were victims of corporate downsizing shared their stories at the Hauppauge employment center. They discussed their job search options and tactics to find new positions. They also worked as a team, assisting each other with moral support and job leads.

Smithtown’s Larry Drago participated in these discussions. Then, he broadened the informal gathering by creating the Long Island Marketing Job Seekers Group. Membership swelled with out-of-work executives from Queens, Nassau and Suffolk as companies eliminated marketing and related positions during the crushing business downturn.

Drago created the forum to allow a significant number of people to share their ideas and support as they searched for new positions on the island and in the city. Several members broadened their searches to Westchester County and New Jersey. Drago has remained the driving force behind the organization since that crises time.

More Jobs And New Focus

Attendance declined for the organization's daytime meetings as the economy improved and members found new positions. But, Drago always had a plan, ready to implement with the upturn in the job market, to adjust the group's focus from a gathering of people hunting for new jobs to a broader all-inclusive marketing networking organization. He transformed the gathering into the Long Island Marketing Networking Group.

"Marketing professionals on Long Island need a forum to collaborate, learn and share their experiences," emphasized Drago. "The level of talent in the group is astounding, and members are more than happy to learn, share and help each other. I look forward to spearheading the charge to keep the group on a growth pattern and provide a conducive environment for all marketing, advertising, public relations and communications professionals of all levels."

Drago introduced several key changes for the organization. He moved meetings to evening hours to allow busy executives to attend. He then invited speakers to each meeting and they share their ideas, thoughts and experiences with members. Drago wisely did not touch one original concept of the organization -- the Long Island Marketing Networking Group never charges membership or meeting fees.

"Over the years, I've truly enjoyed and benefitted from great content and conversations at the meetings as well as those that extended out into the parking lot and beyond," said Kevin Simms, a marketing and communications veteran who is the organization's vice chairperson. "I've forged valuable business and personal relationships with many talented people as a result."

In addition to monthly meetings, The Long Island Marketing Networking Group hosts quarterly networking events at local area restaurants. These events allow members to enjoy themselves as they continue to network and learn from their Long Island peers.

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Mike Virgintino is the author of Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History, the story about America's theme park located in The Bronx. Published by Theme Park Press, it can be found on Amazon, eBay and Goodreads.