| Donna Messerly-Brown
Donna Messerly-Brown is a Utah native and the daughter of the late Grant V. and Kay Messerly, both of Beryl, Utah. The early years of Brown's life were spent in northern Utah where she got ink in her blood while hanging out in the bustling Salt Lake Tribune newsroom with her father, a writer and editor. Brown's family moved to Southern Utah when she was 9. Her family left the cement jungle of Salt Lake City for the serenity of the Escalante Valley. She grew up on horseback in Newcastle and Beryl. Brown is a Cedar City High School graduate. She attended Southern Utah University and earned a bachelor's degree at Weber State University in communication with an English Minor and an emphasis in journalism. Writing became Brown's passion in her youth. She delighted in writing poems and essays for her elementary school publications and was later editor of her high school newspaper. Brown was awarded a top national writing award through the national PTA as a junior in high school. She engaged in freelance writing for the Color Country Spectrum while in high school. The newspaper later became known as The Spectrum in St. George, Utah and The Daily News in Cedar City. Brown was an ad designer, paper deliverer, reporter, bureau chief and weekend editor over the past 25 years (between giving birth to and raising her four children). Brown worked as an intern in the public affairs office at Defense Depot Ogden, Utah where she was a writer and editor for The Hub, a government employee newspaper. Brown's work was regularly published in Dimensions, a United States Defense Logistics Agency magazine. While at DDOU Brown was awarded a commendable service certificate signed by the US Secretary of Defense. As a contract writer at Hill Air Force Base Public Affairs Office, Brown learned about the crazy world of public relations and military life. On the side she freelanced for northern Utah publications like the Ogden Standard Examiner and Lakeside Review in Layton, Utah. Genealogy and family history research piqued her interest and Brown became editor of Everton's Genealogical Helper, which eventually became Family History Magazine. She worked with writers and editors from all over the world to help produce this full-color, international magazine. Her work was regularly published in Cedar City Magazine and St. George Magazine in the late 1990s. She has written hundreds of keyword articles for a wide variety of websites on many topics. Brown owned and operated two Utah businesses before she became executive director of the Cedar City Area Chamber of Commerce in 2005. She served a 2007-2008 term as Utah State Chamber of Commerce president. During her tenure there Brown increased membership, advised hundreds of business owners and planned and executed a trade mission to China in which 220 people participated. Cedar City named Brown, "Citizen of the Year" in 1996. She has earned numerous writing awards. Brown is the mother of four beautiful children, Gavin Dean, London Kaye, Skyler Douglas, and Liberty LaRae. She is the proud grandmother of four: Mkinzy Kay, Brandon Kelson, and Kaylee Elise, and Preston Scott. Review some of Brown's work. | | Skills & Accomplishments
As executive director of the Cedar City Area Chamber of Commerce, coordinated, marketed and executed up to 26 growing professional networking and community events annually · As executive director of the Cedar City Area Chamber of Commerce managed an annual budget of more than $200,000 to promote and operate a professional non-profit business organization of 430 members with steady 10 percent growth in numbers and a secure financial foundation · As executive director of the Cedar City Area Chamber of Commerce organized and advised a volunteer board of directors, 20 members, and numerous volunteers · 25 years experience as a professional writer and editor for international, national, state and local publications – electronic and print · Experienced in advertising design and placement · Photographs published in multiple print and electronic periodicals · Advanced skills in the use of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Outlook, Outlook Express and Publisher as well as QuarkXpress · Advanced Internet knowledge · Daily professional experience in desktop publishing · Advanced in the use of e-mail and a fan of on line instant messenger Services · Advanced skills in digital photography | | Honors & Awards
· 2007-2008 President Utah State Chamber of Commerce . 2005-Sept. 2008 Cedar City Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director · Assisted in the writing, editing and publication of Handybook for Genealogists, 10th edition, Everton Publishers, 2003 · Recognized nationally by the Defense Logistics Agency for feature writing · Commendable Service Certificate, Defense Depot Ogden · National fiction writing honors, Parent Teacher Association Reflections · 1996 Cedar City Utah Citizen of the Year · Iron County Utah Centennial Chairman · Utah Press Association honors in 1992 & 1995 | |