Lightning Hire Wife Of GM As VP/Corporate Communications

The Lightning recently named Angelina Lawton, the wife of GM Brian Lawton, VP/Corporate Communications, a hiring that "seems awkward at first glance, especially at a time the company has laid off seven employees," according to Damian Cristodero of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Lightning co-Owner Oren Koules said that "no one was laid off so Angelina Lawton could be hired." Koules: "I am committed to having our brand become a brand. I needed someone to corral that brand, and talking to her and meeting her, I thought she was a great person to do it." Koules added that Angelina Lawton "reports to him, not her husband, and she got kudos from [Koules] for designing a slick season-ticket renewal brochure and the light pole banners outside the St. Pete Times Forum." Koules also said that Angelina Lawton's hiring is "part of a larger strategy to bring all aspects of the team's corporate communications -- concept, design, and, eventually, printing -- in-house" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 3/22).

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JOB SEARCH: Former Lightning VP/Marketing Mark Gullett said that he and his son Ben, who made a video to help his father get a job after he was laid off by the team, have been on "Good Morning America," "Today" and Brazil's national television station. The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES' Cristodero & Gould noted Ben Gullett used "his mom's laptop, Microsoft's Movie Maker and scenes from around" their house in making the video. Mark Gullett said that the publicity has "gotten him three promising leads." Mark Gullett added of being laid off, "No hard feelings. Times are tough out there. Companies have to make tough decisions" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 3/22).

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