Overseeing project management for advertising and marketing for one of the largest newspapers in the country may seem like a daunting task. But for Jaimie Rush, it’s just another day at the office.
Rush earned an MBA from BYU in 1993 and began working for the Los Angeles Times in 1997 as a marketing and planning associate and senior marketing analyst. Since that time, she has progressed through more senior roles with the newspaper, where she currently serves as the senior project manager for advertising and marketing.
As a certified project management professional, she is also an instructor for individuals looking to earn their Project Management Professional credential and is an adjunct business instructor for two universities. Rush says she enjoys teaching and working with students because it provides her an opportunity to work with individuals who have different backgrounds and interests.
“Working in the media industry, particularly for the Los Angeles Times, has been very exciting and rewarding,” she says. “I have been able to manage many projects with a variety of different people who have helped shape the direction of the company. Every day is a journey.”
Rush’s career is evidence that plenty of business principles go into getting a publication to press. As the newspaper industry shifts into an age of online and multimedia journalism, Rush has taken on projects to help the Los Angeles Times innovate and expand into new areas of business. For example, in her current position, Rush has led teams that have launched new products, new sales and marketing systems, and even a real estate auction service.
Leadership and teamwork are essential in Rush’s work, skills she says she learned at BYU. The rigorous training, the assignments, and especially the presentations trained her to feel comfortable and confident in the corporate environment.
Aside from increasing her business knowledge, Rush’s experience has helped her in her home life as well. “I have learned that to execute projects successfully, it is important to have a clear vision of the project and a plan for what it will take to get there,” she says. “I apply this same principle in my personal life, whether it’s helping my children achieve their goals or managing our family’s finances.”
Although she describes much of her life as a constant juggling act, Rush says she always makes time for two important things: her family and exercise. When she is not working out at the gym, she and her husband, John Draper, go on lengthy bike rides or long walks through the hills near their home in Pomona, California, with their three children. Rush says physical activity is important for a fulfilling life and tries to teach that lesson to her children.
