Darryl Garland
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25 years of strategic marketing and communications leadership energized by a decade of creative agency experience.
Expertise
• Brand Marketing Strategy
• Corporate Communications
• Change Management
• Company Culture
• Servant-Leadership
• Creative Direction
• Copywriting
• Design & Art Direction
• Video Production
• Social Media
• Most important: Empathy, Energy and Enthusiasm
Experience
Adjunct Professor — Norwich University
2024–Present
Director of Brand Strategy — National Life Group
2022–2024
Built brand love with clients, colleagues and communities for a $291 billion organization through earned and paid media, marketing campaigns, affinity programs, influencer partnerships and events.
Director of Corporate Communications — National Life Group
2021–2022
Managed a team and a budget that enriched the corporate culture and reputation coming out of the pandemic, shaping the company’s narrative through internal communications, change management and public relations.
Director of Digital Branding — National Life Group
2017–2021
Infused life into life insurance and financial services brand marketing with cause-driven programs and content across social media, including on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.
Creative Director – Sentinel Investments
2007—2017
Transformed a staid mutual fund company brand into a purpose-driven partner for financial advisors by building strategic marketing into everything from fact sheets to a new website and social media.
Learned to play off the constraints of a FINRA-regulated industry, earning a Series 6 License.
Creative & Art Director, Graphic Designer — Advertising & Design Agencies Across the US
1997–2007
Elevated the B2B and B2C clients of marketing, design and advertising agencies large and small with strategic creative direction and thoughtful design across media and industries.
Clients included Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, DreamWorks, Ecco, Reebok and Puma.
Education
Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Marketing • University of Arizona
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Communication Arts & Sciences, Minor in English • Vermont State University
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Expertise
• Brand Marketing Strategy
• Corporate Communications
• Change Management
• Company Culture
• Servant-Leadership
• Creative Direction
• Copywriting
• Design & Art Direction
• Video Production
• Social Media
• Most important: Empathy, Energy and Enthusiasm
Experience
Adjunct Professor — Norwich University
2024–Present
- Helping future leaders in business and the military understand the power and responsibility of creating engaging marketing communications.
Director of Brand Strategy — National Life Group
2022–2024
Built brand love with clients, colleagues and communities for a $291 billion organization through earned and paid media, marketing campaigns, affinity programs, influencer partnerships and events.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) rose 683%
- Awareness expanded 245%
- Consideration grew 174%, and
- Preference climbed 160% over the previous three years
Director of Corporate Communications — National Life Group
2021–2022
Managed a team and a budget that enriched the corporate culture and reputation coming out of the pandemic, shaping the company’s narrative through internal communications, change management and public relations.
- Best-in-class 94% Gallup employee survey participation
- A record employee engagement score
- 10,000 people partied on an insurance company’s lawn, reaching $345,000 raised for cancer patients
Director of Digital Branding — National Life Group
2017–2021
Infused life into life insurance and financial services brand marketing with cause-driven programs and content across social media, including on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.
- Achieved engagement rates 150% higher than industry peers
- Grew followers by 97% across platforms
Creative Director – Sentinel Investments
2007—2017
Transformed a staid mutual fund company brand into a purpose-driven partner for financial advisors by building strategic marketing into everything from fact sheets to a new website and social media.
Learned to play off the constraints of a FINRA-regulated industry, earning a Series 6 License.
Creative & Art Director, Graphic Designer — Advertising & Design Agencies Across the US
1997–2007
Elevated the B2B and B2C clients of marketing, design and advertising agencies large and small with strategic creative direction and thoughtful design across media and industries.
Clients included Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, DreamWorks, Ecco, Reebok and Puma.
Education
Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Marketing • University of Arizona
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Communication Arts & Sciences, Minor in English • Vermont State University
Download PDF