Long Island Marketing Networking Group Continues To Grow

The Long Island Marketing Networking Group is one of the fastest growing professional organizations on Long Island. Social media outreach and collaboration with other local organizations continues to introduce the group to many displaced and employed marketing, advertising and public relations professionals in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The group traces its beginnings to October 2008, when several out-of-work Long Island marketers shared their stories at the employment center in Hauppauge. Smithtown’s Larry Drago participated in these discussions and then he developed the Long Island Marketing Job Seekers Group.

During this period of high unemployment, attendance grew for the group. Meetings scheduled at local libraries allowed people to share their ideas and provide mutual support that fostered the job search process. Drago remained the driving force behind the group while he also searched for a new position. Recently, as chairperson, he has spearheaded the group's evolution into the Long Island Marketing Networking Group.

Networking Transformation

A handful of years ago, Drago noticed that attendance at the daytime meetings dwindled gradually with the improving economy. Since he always had planned to adjust the group's focus from a gathering of people hunting for new employment opportunities to a broader all-inclusive marketing networking organization, Drago realized that the robust economy provided the opportunity for a transformation.

"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."

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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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A significant component of the group's transformation was an adjustment of the meeting schedule. Monthly meetings now are held on Tuesday evenings. Meetings also feature invited speakers who present a variety of valuable topics – global marketing, branding, the power of storytelling – for Long Island's communicators.

One feature of the organization, however, never has changed – the Long Island Marketing Networking Group does not charge a membership fee or meeting fees.

Content And Conversations

The group’s members, totaling more than 200, are employed at local corporations, nonprofits and marketing/public relations agencies that include Altice USA, CA Technologies - a Broadcom Company, Canon USA, Globecomm and Hain Celestial Group. Independent practitioners and business owners also have joined to network and to share their knowledge about marketing, advertising, public relations and other communications topics.

"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."

Besides regular meetings, The Long Island Marketing Networking Group hosts quarterly networking events at local area restaurants. These gatherings allow members to enjoy themselves while still bonding and learning. The group also is aligned with other local industry related organizations such as the Social Media Association.

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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.