Colby Lucas, MAPR

About

With a robust educational background and extensive experience in strategic leadership, this professional has carved a niche in both the corporate and entrepreneurial realms. Holding a Master of Arts in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication from Full Sail University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Florida State University, they have honed their skills in communication and analytical thinking. As the CEO of Creative Ascension Strategies since 2022, they have been instrumental in crafting brand strategies and optimizing business processes for growth. Their tenure at Publix Super Markets saw them rise from a Call Center Representative to a New Store Project Manager, where they managed up to 50 projects simultaneously, showcasing their adeptness in project management and operational innovation. Their diverse skill set, including architectural drafting from Hillsborough Community College, underscores their ability to integrate creative and technical solutions across various industries.

Experience

• Founding Chief Executive and Lead Strategist · Creative Ascension Strategies07-01-2022

  - Manages budget, Profit & Loss Statements, Research & Development, Operations and Hiring. Since the first full year of business the company has been profitable, and it was debt-free and awarded the Regional Best of Florida for Business Consulting Firms by its second year. - Build and implement client strategies that required quickly evaluating and understanding market drivers, company values, goals, and operational processes. Derived and supported ideas and KPIs that aligned with their culture, enhancing productivity and profitability. - Creates brand strategies and digital and physical marketing content to support them. - Designs and conducts process improvement initiatives. - Manages a team of highly skilled individuals, in a culture where their passions are at the forefront of their work. - Provides brand, service, product, and business analysis as well as focused strategies for small to medium-sized businesses. - Integrates internal and external strategies that simultaneously increase companies' brand awareness, growth and employee satisfaction. - Creates competitive, search engine-optimized websites, improving client audience reach. - Identify ways to streamline or automate operations, and build applications to implement those strategies.

• New Store Project Manager · Publix Super Markets02-01-2022

  • Manage an average of 50 confidential multi-million-dollar commercial development projects at any given time, from project kickoff to store opening for the leading grocer in the southeast US. Projects vary in complexity, budget, and duration, with most spanning 2+ years. • Lead teams of internal and external project members regarding project progress including quality, cost improvements, and innovative solutions for optimal outcome. Held accountability discussions as needed. • Collecting and analyzing data on cost effectiveness and timeliness of contractors. Leveraged this data to report on findings, and provide strategy for next steps, working intimately with legal, real estate, technology, and other departments. • Providing relentless improvement for communications plans and process documentation across departments that historically worked cross-functionally, but were not effectively sharing information. • Planning, initiating, and leading meetings with developers and Publix design, construction, facilities, and real estate throughout the duration of projects. • Approving and managing project timelines that directly impact annual profit. • Proposing, strategizing, and implementing process improvement initiatives, leading the Facilities Design department in operational innovation. • Reviewing confidential new store plans and assisting with RFI's during the permit and construction processes.

• Facilities Corporate Technology Developer · Publix Super Markets09-01-2017 – 02-01-2022

  • On average, identified and recommended high-impact position and system updates and strategies in a corporate environment 3-5 years before the natural reveal of the urgent need for change. Captured data, then conceptualized and created live dashboard reporting for presenting data that served a myriad of purposes across the company. • Managed cross-functional project teams to design, develop, document, and implement technology solutions for Facilities, Real Estate, Emergency Response departments, safety teams, and external partners. • Audited Facility Administrative roles and processes, a single one of which resulted in 50 process and technology improvement recommendations, and 20 general training recommendations that would yield over $180,000 in cost savings annually, once implemented. • Researched, budgeted, conducted risk analysis for, pitched, and implemented new technology solutions across several departments that changed the way the business operated. • Managed cross-functional project teams to design, develop, document, and implement scalable and impactful technology solutions for facilities and real estate departments • Provided application and process training to business areas enterprise-wide and externally

• Remodel Design & ADA Project Coordinator · Publix Super Markets06-01-2015 – 09-01-2017

  • Assigned work for Architectural and Engineering firms and designers for each remodel based on geography, workload, prototype, and budget • Collected and analyzed data on cost effectiveness and timeliness of contractors, reported and presented findings, and advised on next steps, working intimately with Publix’s legal department • Built and preserved positive relationships with external resources • Monitored and managed timelines and budgets for projects, accounting for any potential problems or scope changes • Provided leadership and direction to designers, senior designers, and managers based on analysis of data

• Call Center Representative · Publix Super Markets12-01-2013 – 06-01-2015

  Coordinated internal and external meetings, assessing cost effectiveness of each. Authorized appropriate supplier work using companywide maintenance ticket logging software.

Education

• Full Sail UniversityMaster of Arts (M.A.), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
• Hillsborough Community CollegeArchitectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD
• Florida State UniversityBachelor of Science (BS), Psychology

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