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Jeffrey A. Ranta With over 23 years of experience in public relations and advertising, Ranta is a winner of the coveted Silver Anvil trophy for Public Relations Excellence and a national champion of public relations. A college professor, a former Naval Officer, occasional journalist and entrepreneur, Ranta has traveled around the world, lived overseas, written many stories and articles and currently resides in Columbia, SC. Prior to his current academic service, and running his own marketing communications firm (Big Fish Ad/PR), Ranta was a Navy Public Affairs Officer who handled international and national media relations as well as issue-oriented public relations, media relations, grass roots public affairs, community relations, and internal communications for the US Navy in the far east, the greater Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware area, aboard a 5,000 man aircraft carrier and as Deputy and then Acting Director Southeast for the Chief of Naval Information. Among his military deployments, Ranta participated in many cold-war era operations, supported Naval operations during the first Gulf War and also deployed in support of a joint task force to counter tribal genocide in Rwanda and the surrounding nations. His Naval expertise includes qualifications as a surface warfare officer, and work as a public affairs officer explaining highly complex military operations and technologies to various audiences with various levels of experience and understanding. In May of 2006, 2004 and 2002, as a professor at The University of South Carolina, Ranta led USC Bateman academic teams to national championships coming out on top of 60-plus universities in each competition. In addition to running the Bateman competitions, Ranta also developed The Carolina Agency or TCA, a student-run firm serving clients in many areas of advertising and public relations. TCA is in its fifth year of existence and is one of only a dozen PRSA-affiliated student-run, public relations agencies in the country. Since inception, TCA has served a combined total of more than 50 separate clients and provided experience to more than 100 students in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations. In 2005 Ranta opened his own consulting firm providing full service agency support in advertising and PR. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and a university professor, Ranta worked for Public Relations Agencies in Atlanta and Coral Gables (Miami) Florida. Ranta was one of four regional VPs in the South Florida Office of the largest PR conglomerates in the world (Weber Shandwick). There, he was responsible for accounts addressing new technologies, executive services and consumer outreach. His experience also includes positions of leadership and success with PR/Marketing in Atlanta. Brands and clients previously represented include BellSouth, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A, Shoney's, Rubbermaid, Golden Corral, local Ford, GM and Honda dealerships and Polaris/Victory motorcycle retailers across the southeast. Ranta is a member in good standing of the Public Relations Society of America. Awards and Decorations Ranta has won multiple award for his Public Relations and Advertising campaigns including the National Silver Anvil Award, as well as regional and local awards from the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators. His military decorations include medals and letters of commendation for Public Affairs Excellence. .
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