Martin Cohn, President, Cohn Public Relations
Martin has over 40 years of experience in all facets of marketing communications. With an extensive background in public and community relations, Martin has developed successful public relations and marketing communications programs for such established firms as Aquarion Water Company, Battelle, Entergy Vermont Yankee, ERM-New England, Sea Chain Marine, Sheraton Newton Hotel, SolmeteX, SE Massachusetts Vision 2020, WP Commercial, and Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development.
At Entergy Vermont Yankee, Martin served as company spokesman for over 2.5 years. Vermont Yankee, a 42-year old nuclear power plant in Vernon Vermont that shut down in December of 2014, was the first unregulated, merchant facility to be decommissioned. He created and implemented the VY decommissioning communications plan. For over 2.5 years, Vermont Yankee was positively portrayed in the media and community. As site communicator, Martin generated and implemented a communications plan to inform and influence target audiences. Media relations resulted in 92% neutral / positive articles; the highest in the northeast fleet. Among the highlights was creating an award-winning community television program, initiating a well-received philanthropic program, educating about the economic impact of the plant's closure, and showcasing the role of employees at Vermont Yankee in the community.
For over twenty years, he has concentrated in the promotion of philanthropy by assisting non-profit organizations such as The Catalogue of Philanthropy, Crossroads Community Foundation, Giving New England, National Society of Fund Raising Executives-MA, and Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Strolling of the Heifers, and Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development.
Martin produced several community access television shows: Grace Cottage Hospital Healthcare Matters, a show on timely heathcare issues, Safstor Matters, a show on Vermont Yankee decommissioning, Winston Prouty Center for Family and Child Development Family Matters, a show on early childhood education, and Rotary Cares, a show that demystifies Rotary International. Additionally, he hosts episodes for BCTV's open studio.
Martin has a substantial background in politics, serving as spokesperson for a lieutenant governor's race, two congressional races, two state senate races, a presidential campaign, and a mayoral race. In addition, Martin helped launch a nationally based coalition of environmental companies, Environmental Business Council of the United States, Inc., with its Washington, D.C. inaugural session attracting such speakers as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, two U.S. senators, a U.S. representative, and the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Martin has a variety of experience working with various associations and trade groups, including the Environmental Business Council of New England, Environmental Export Council, the Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce and Southeastern Massachusetts Vision 2020. Working with founding members, Cohn constructed and implemented communications strategies to attract organizational interest and promote membership development. Through these efforts, these organizations gained local and national prominence, serving as resources for their respective industries.
Between 2003 and 2013, Martin served as Associate Director of the Massachusetts Academy of Dermatology, a professional association of close to 200 practicing dermatologists. Additionally, he has chaired the State Society's Executive Conference for the American Academy of Dermatology for five years.
With an undergraduate degree in psychology from Boston University's College of Liberal Arts and a Master's Degree in Public Relations from BU's College of Communication, for six years, Martin was an adjunct professor at Emerson College in Boston teaching a graduate course on special events management and taught a seminar on media relations for non profits for Boston's Technical Development Corporation for six years.
Martin is past president of Brattleboro Rotary Club, past president of Brattleboro Area Jewish Community, and a former board member of Arts Council of Windham County in Vermont, past vice president of Brattleboro Community Television (BCTV). Currently, he serves as secretary of Springfield VT Rotary Club.