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Anna Folmnsbee is the city of McKinney’s new communication and media manager.
She brings with her corporate communications and public relations experience from Greyhound Lines Inc.
Her first day on the job was Sept. 28. The 27-year-old is replacing Steve Hill, who recently left the city to work for the Chinese company Huawei Technologies in Plano as its U.S. public relations representative.
Folmnsbee’s job includes writing press releases, dealing with print, radio and TV media, overseeing the McKinney Vision staff members, who include one full-time staff member and one part-time staff member, and handling internal communication for the city.
She most recently worked as senior specialist of corporate communications at Greyhound Lines Inc. in Dallas for three-and-a-half years. She was the primary media contact for Greyhound Lines Inc. for the U.S. and Canada, Folmnsbee said.
Prior to that, she worked in the marketing and communications department at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, doing everything from student recruitment, alumni relations, public relations, planning events and trade shows, Folmnsbee said.
“It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about the industry,” she said.
Folmnsbee feels she was hired for the position because she’s been fortunate enough in her past couple of positions to have extremely wonderful opportunities to learn, she said. Those include being a spokesperson for an international company and learning the way to create a message and communicating that message consistently.
“I think that hopefully I can bring a fresh perspective and some new fun creative ideas and ways to really promote McKinney. It all really comes back to promoting the city,” Folmnsbee said.
Folmnsbee has lived in the Dallas and Fort Worth area for the last five years, and currently lives in Addison. She grew up in Duncan, Okla., graduated from high school in Amarillo then moved to Dallas. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma.
Folmnsbee wanted to apply for the position because she has seen it change over the last few years, especially the last five years since she has lived in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, and the city is very unique and fascinating, she said.
“McKinney is on such a great track right now. I’m really excited about the opportunities that are already in place and furthering the McKinney brand. I think that there are a lot of opportunities in enhancing the internal communications with city employees, but right now I’m really focused on learning all that I can with the brand and the city of McKinney,” Folmnsbee said.
The city is growing at such a rapid pace that there are many opportunities to communicate the successes of the city of McKinney, Folmnsbee said.
“That’s for the residents of the city of McKinney and people who are outside of McKinney because we want them to know about McKinney and it’s an exciting place to live,” Folmnsbee said.
“When you look at what this department and the city staff is doing, it’s really innovative and exciting and the direction that we’re taking of combining the brand of the city and promoting it as one consistent message. It’s innovative. It’s unique. Not every city does that,” Folmnsbee.
She feels really fortunate that she’s been lucky enough to step into that position, Folmnsbee said.
When she’s not busy working on internal and external communications for the city, she enjoys reading fiction writers such as John Grisham and James Patterson, she said.
Contact staff writer Brandi Hart at hartb@acnpapers.com. To post comments online, access this story at www.scntx.com.
