Spotlight On A New Member:

Howard Newman of HN Communications

Folks in town are probably most familiar with Howie Newman because of his volunteer work with the Melrose Energy Commission and his monthly Music in Melrose Coffeehouse. You might be interested in knowing, however, that he also provides top-notch writing, editing and public relations services for individuals and small businesses.

And that he's one of the newest members of the Melrose Chamber of Commerce.

"It seems like every business, no matter how small, has a Web site, a brochure or a newsletter, something that describes what they do," says Howie, who launched HN Communications (www.hncommunications.net) in 2010. "It's very important that these pieces are well written, up to date and address the needs of potential customers.

"That's where I come in. I work with clients to help them get their message to their target audience."

With an extensive background in corporate communications, journalism and public relations, Howie has a wide range of experience. He writes and edits Web site content, newsletters, blogs, press releases, articles, case studies and marketing collateral.

"Actually, I can write or edit just about anything that's in English," he says. "In my 18 years of journalism, I wrote and edited for many different types of publications.

"A lot of times, I wasn't an expert in what I was writing about. So I did the research, conducted interviews and learned what I had to learn. When I transitioned into corporate communications, this became a real strength for me because I was able to adapt to a lot of different situations. I also learned how to communicate very technical information in a way that the readers could understand."

Howie worked for the Boston Globe, Patriot Ledger, Associated Press, Lowell Sun, Lynn Daily Item and several other local media outlets. He was an editor at the Melrose Free Press and, as a freelancer, covered the American league playoffs at Fenway Park in 1988 and '90 for the Oakland Tribune.

By working for a number of high-level daily newspapers, he learned about how the business functions. That type of perspective became invaluable in his public relations work.

For example, if you want to know what a newspaper editor looks for in a press release, ask Howie. He's been a newspaper editor. Howie has also written numerous press releases that have run in newspapers, large and small. He's been on both sides of the editor's desk.

"I think what makes me a good communicator is that I can see things through the eyes of the readers," Howie explains. "I have a good sense of what interests them and how to reach them."

 In his spare time, he writes and performs acoustic music, and also runs a coffeehouse, Music in Melrose, held monthly at the Melrose Church of the Nazarene. In conjunction with the coffeehouse, he organizes an annual benefit concert for Bread of Life, a local food pantry.  Howie is also a sports enthusiast who plays and coaches softball, and does radio color commentary for the Lowell Spinners, a Red Sox Single-A farm team.

Married with two children, he has lived in Melrose for the past eight years. 

For further information about Howie Newman, visit his Web site, www.hncommunications.net, or contact him at howard@hncommunications.net or 781-662-2616.