Resume

Lester Jacobson
2202 Lincolnwood Drive
Evanston, Illinois 60201

Office: 847-866-6373
Cell: 847-521-0140

lesterjake@comcast.net
www.lesterjacobson.com

Overview

Dual careers as journalist and business communications manager, including winning Chicago Newspaper Guild and Northern Illinois News Association writing awards as well as editing columnists Mike Royko, Roger Simon and Irv Kupcinet at the Chicago Sun-Times. On the corporate side I produced annual reports, annual shareholder meetings, monthly officer meetings and led many other major projects.

Professional Experience

EVANSTON ROUNDTABLE           2008-present
Staff writer, editor, columnist
Winner of 2013 Northern Illinois Newspaper Association second place award for best sports writing, 2015 third place award for best profiles and since 2019, awards for best column at a non-daily newspaper.

JACOBSON COMMUNICATIONS           2010-2018
Consultant, writer and editor providing strategic and tactical communications work for Fortune 500 companies and global not-for-profit organizations. I’ve also edited memoirs, business books and college-level science courses.

ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, Northbrook, IL   1997-2010
Nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurance provider
Senior Manager, Corporate Relations
Worked closely with the CEO and senior staff to produce the monthly officer meetings, led the team that provided communications support for Allstate Financial, produced half a dozen award-winning annual and environmental reports. Also supported a variety of other initiatives and programs, including managing annual shareholders meetings; supervising employee newspapers; writing executive speeches; memos and officer communications; and working with Investor Relations.

CAREMARK INTERNATIONAL, Northbrook, IL 1992-1997
One of the nation’s leading home-care, physician management and mail-order pharmacy businesses
Director, Corporate Communications
Responsible for spin-off communications program, crisis communications, media, annual reports, news releases

BAXTER INTERNATIONAL, Deerfield, IL           1986-1992
Develops life-saving medical devices and pharmaceutical and biotechnology products
Director, Corporate Communications
Handled media, news releases, crisis communications, annual reports.

AMERICAN HOSPITAL SUPPLY CORP., Evanston, IL           1984-1986
Leading manufacturer and supplier of medical products
Manager, Executive Communications
Speechwriter for the CEO and other senior managers.

BORG-WARNER CORP., Chicago       1982-1984
Develops, manufacture and distributes automotive products
Manager, Management Communications
Produced senior management magazine and all-employee newsletter.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES           1979-1982
Copy Editor
Worked on general news, photo and wire desks and edited and designed business section.
Edited columns by franchise writers such as Mike Royko, Irv Kupcinet and Roger Simon.

LERNER NEWSPAPERS           1973-1979
Reporter, News Editor, Managing Editor
Wrote news and feature stories (including best feature story of 1973), assigned, edited and designed copy

Education

Loyola University of Chicago, Master of Business Administration 1982
University of Illinois, Bachelor of Arts in history 1969

Awards

Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 1st place, profile pieces 2023
Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 2nd place, columns 2022
Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 2nd place, columns 2021
Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 3rd place, columns 2020
Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 3rd place, columns 2019
Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 3rd place, profiles 2015
Northern Illinois News Association (NINA) award, 2nd place, sportswriting 2013
MerComm ARC award for best financial service industry annual report 1998
MerComm award for best employee newspaper 1994
Chicago Newspaper Guild award for best feature story of the year 1973

Other Journalism and Writing Experience

Writer and editor, Evanston RoundTable 2008-present
Volunteer broadcaster, CRIS Radio 1982-1987
Freelance pieces in Chicago Faces, The Strad magazines and other publications 1980-present

Additional Activities

Mentor in Big Brother Program, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and McGaw YMCA 2007-2016
Violist and board member, Evanston Symphony Orchestra 1995-2012
President and violist, Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra 1993-1997
Peace Corps Volunteer (rural development), Liberia, West Africa 1969-1970