Michael Shmarak, Principal

Michael’s interests and capabilities span several industries, including professional services, retail, hospitality, media and investment banking. Having handled a variety of corporate, consumer and brand positioning programs, his background and past clients include Big Five accounting and consulting firms, top-tier insurance companies and some of America’s most visible brands.

Michael has held management positions at some of Chicago’s leading public relations agencies. He served as director of Ruder-Finn’s Corporate Affairs Practice, and was Account Supervisor/Media Relations for Ketchum in Chicago. While at Ketchum, he coordinated media relations and account activities for several client programs, including Andersen, Northwestern Mutual, Miller Brewing Company and Lions Club International. His efforts have led to placements with several top-tier media outlets—including the—Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, CNN, CNBC and Forbes—as well as garnering new business for his clients as a result of these programs.

Before joining Ketchum, Michael served as Vice President of Marketing for Flat Top Grill, a Chicago-based group of stir-fry restaurants. He has also worked at Marx Layne & Company, a metropolitan Detroit marketing and public relations agency where he serviced a variety of clients in a vast span of industries.

Michael earned his BSBA in Marketing from the Ohio State University and an MBA from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.

Contact Michael at michael.shmarak@sidneymaxwell.com .

Megan Meier Lane

Megan Meier Lane joined Sidney Maxwell Public Relations in March 2005 after two years at Edelman’s Consumer Brands Division in Chicago. She specializes in media relations, developing strategic media pitch angles and plans, executing segments and coordinating interviews for agency’s media-intensive clients.

Media highlights for Sidney Maxwell Public Relations clients include: Good Morning America, Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch.com, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, MSNBC.com, Forbes.com, Food & Wine, Men’s Health, Better Homes & Garden SIP Gardens, Brandweek, CNBC, WMAQ-TV (NBC5), WLS-TV (ABC7), WGN-TV, thenest.com and in top legal publications like American Lawyer.

While at Edelman, she was a key team member on the Clorox, Bush’s Baked Beans and Bush’s Homestyle Chili teams. Her main skills included event planning, media relations and coordinating press and Web site materials. She played an integral role in developing relationships with top media organizations and key influencers in the food media.

Prior to joining Edelman, Megan gained media and public relations experience through a college summer internship at the United States Olympic Committee training center in Chula Vista, CA.

A 2003 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Megan received a B.A. in Strategic Communications and a Business Certificate.

Michelle Hellyar

Michelle Hellyar is a seasoned public relations and marketing communications professional with more than 12 years of corporate and agency experience.  An award-winning practitioner, Michelle works with SMPR on clients in the business-to-business, business-to-consumer and not-for-profit sectors, developing and implementing smart, creative programs to meet stated objectives.   Michelle’s specialties include strategic thinking, media and analyst relations, word-of-mouth marketing and thought leadership.  Michelle’s work has resulted in coverage in nearly every national business publication, including The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Newsweek; daily outlets, including The New York Times, The USA Today and Chicago Tribune; cable news media and trade magazines in the insurance, financial services and technology industries.

Previously, she was the Strategic Manager of Marketing Communications for CCC Information Services Inc., a $240 million software company.  While at CCC, Michelle set the strategic direction for CCC’s external communications and served as the company’s primary contact for media, industry analysts and trade groups.  She established the company’s messaging framework and was responsible for socializing messaging throughout the organization.  Michelle was also responsible for developing and launching the company’s customer-facing magazine, which extended the company’s position as an industry thought leader.

Prior to her role at CCC, Michelle worked at Ketchum Public Relations as an Account Director.  While there, Michelle served as the primary contact and project team lead for numerous clients, including Kodak Digital, Avis, Premiere Conferencing and CCC Information Services Inc.  Before joining Ketchum, Michelle worked as an Account Manager for Corporate Technology Communications. While there Michelle served as the day-to-day contact responsible for executing PR programs for clients, including Motorola, Syclo and FastWeb, among others.  Michelle started her career in Chicago at The Dilenschneider Group.

Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah.

Michelle Damico

Michelle Damico’s public relations career spans more than 15 years at integrated marketing agencies, corporations, governments, non-profits and small businesses.  Michelle helps SMPR clients create compelling messages and guiding them on how to effectively communicate those messages through traditional and social media networks.

She has scored placements for clients in manufacturing, consumer product goods, technology, financial services, online retail, homeland security and telecom. She’s worked with journalists and broadcast producers at Wall Street Journal, USA Today, NBC’s Today Show, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, Chicago Sun Times, Money, Entrepreneur, Inc, CNBC, MSNBC, NPR and major market TV stations. Her work has been honored with three “Golden Trumpets” from the Publicity Club of Chicago.

Her private sector experiences include leading PR campaigns at Slack Barshinger, an integrated business-to-business marketing firm, Tech Image, a hi-tech PR firm and Pipeline Media Relations, where she offered strategic counsel to corporate clients embarking on social media initiatives.  She has led PR and marketing teams at several government agencies, including the Illinois Tollway and as the first director of cityofchicago.org, the City of Chicago Web site.  She also served as Communications Director for Mayor Richard M. Daley’s 1995 re-election campaign.  She also spent 15 years as a reporter and newscaster for WBEZ, WXRT and WGN-AM.

Laura Muma

Laura Muma has more than 16 years of public relations experience ranging from launching start-up companies to helping international corporations achieve their business goals.  She has a proven track record of providing valued strategic counsel, securing top media placements and producing award-winning events for clients within corporate, consumer, food and nutrition, technology, entertainment and automotive industries, among others.

In working with Chrysler, General Motors and Saturn, Laura led media relations and orchestrated events that garnered national television, online and print coverage from USA Today, CNN, ESPN and Associated Press, as well as key automotive trade coverage for vehicle launches and community relations programs.  Her resume also includes launching business-to-business and business-to-consumer offerings for Lowe’s Home Improvement and Owens Corning.

Most recently, Laura was a senior vice president at FoodMinds, a food and nutrition-focused communications agency. She led strategic influencer and health professional outreach programs for Kellogg Company, National Dairy Council and National Confectioners Association.  Laura has worked for leading public relations agencies Golin/Harris International and Porter Novelli.

She graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and minor in Spanish.