Sharon Sweeney

Sharon Sweeney is a marketing professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the areas of marketing, communications, public and investor relations, event management and market research.  In 1998 she founded illume marketing, drawing upon this significant experience to serve the needs of healthcare, technology and professional services organizations.  In addition to her strategic planning and project management skills, Sharon’s copywriting and graphic design capabilities round out the full range of creative services she offers her clients.

With a particular passion for the healthcare industry, Sharon has built a clientele that includes medical technology firms, providers, payers and professional societies.  For these clients, she has developed and implemented corporate identities, sales, marketing and public awareness campaigns, direct mail programs, websites, and special projects ranging from healthcare conferences to competitive market analysis.  

Sharon served as Director of Marketing for Minneapolis Radiology, a growing medical practice in the Twin Cities.  As the group prepared to launch their first independent imaging center, Sharon was responsible for establishing a marketing function within the practice and managing all aspects of communications and referral relations.

Previously, Sharon served as Corporate Communications Manager for Summit Medical, a healthcare information systems company that pioneered clinical outcomes software for physicians, hospitals and integrated delivery systems.  In this role, she worked closely with senior management in preparing for the company's Initial Public Offering and in the development and execution of all subsequent communication with shareholders, financial analysts, media, clients and employees.

While with Summit Medical, Sharon also contributed to the company's product marketing efforts.  She was actively involved in developing and implementing product launches, direct marketing campaigns, sales presentations and collateral material, and client communication initiatives.  Other responsibilities ranged from managing trade show attendance, writing and editing software documentation, and conducting competitive analyses and market development research.

As a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Sharon served as the Special Projects Coordinator for Project Lazarus, a not-for-profit residence for people living with AIDS.  In this role, she was responsible for all aspects of communications, fundraising, event planning and volunteer training.

Sharon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University in advertising and philosophy.