Bruce L. Erley is the President and
CEO of the Creative Strategies Group, a full-service sponsorship and event
marketing agency based in Denver, Colorado which he founded in September, 1995.
Creative Strategies Group (CSG) specializes in sponsorship and event marketing
consultation as well as forging partnerships between corporations and events,
festivals, nonprofit organizations and other properties.
In 2012, Erley served as the World
Board Chairman of the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA).
IFEA is the premier professional association supporting and enabling festival
and event professionals worldwide. The IFEA's primary focus is identifying and
providing access to the professional resources and networks that will, as
stated in their mission, inspire and enable those in their industry to realize
their dreams, build community and sustain success through celebration.
Bruce is Accredited in Public
Relations (APR) by the Public Relations Society of America and is a Certified
Festival & Events Executive (CFEE) by the International Festivals and
Events Association.
Among CSG’s recent and current
clients are the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Philadelphia Flower Show, Cherry
Creek Arts Festival, and the National Western Stock Show. CSG’s corporate
clients include Janus Capital Group, Kaiser Permanente, the Colorado Lottery,
Great-West Life, U.S. Bank and Safeway.
Prior to founding CSG, Erley was the
Vice President for Marketing and Sales for Up with People, an international, educational
and cultural organization.
Erley is widely acclaimed as a top
presenter on sponsorship topics for the events and festivals industry, having
spoken recently at major conferences in Dubai, Toronto, Vienna, Singapore,
South Korea and Beijing. Bruce has been married for 31 years
to his wife Linda and they are the gratified empty-nest parents of three grown
sons.
Admittedly an “institution” at IFEA
conventions, Bruce shares some of his extensive expertise in the field of event
sponsorship and marketing. Garnered over a 40-year career, Bruce’s knowledge
and understanding is invaluable to anyone tasked with the often-dreaded job of “selling”
sponsorships. Want to feel empowered and confident when approaching a potential
sponsor? Then you must listen to this episode – probably more than once!