Variety truly seems to be the spice of life for OCA Communications Coordinator Cassidy Bruns – and it is so much more than simply salt and pepper shakers.
Bruns joined the association’s staff in January in the newly established role that will provide information on OCA’s news and happenings; detail what the association is doing on behalf of its members; and more. In a nutshell, she’s going to be busy.
“Cassidy will be kept busy with publishing many of the materials that we rely on to inform our members what OCA is working on, what we offer to our members and sharing the news of the day,” said OCA President Chris Runyan. “These types of communications were what was, in essence, a part-time job for many of the directors. Cassidy will be the focal point for the majority of our member communications in support of each director’s messaging. She will be that fresh set of eyes that helps shape member engagement going forward.”
Doing a little bit of everything has highlighted Bruns’ career and was what attracted her to find out more about the newly created position at OCA.
“I really never liked to pigeonhole myself to one area of work,” said Bruns, who has experience in non-profit work such as education, health and wellness, equity and mission-driven work. “I always wanted to serve a wide range of populations in what I did, and I think that’s led me to being in a ton of different rooms that I never thought I would find myself in and working in a lot of different industries that I never thought I would find myself in – construction being one of them.”
Since graduating from Ohio University in 2020 with a Communication Studies degree, Bruns has worked in Columbus with The National Center for Urban Solutions as a communications and social media specialist and most recently with Columbus State Community College managing its marketing communications.
“We knew as soon as we saw her résumé and the graphic materials that she submitted that she possessed the creativity and graphical design skills we were looking for,” Runyan said. “Our interviews with Cassidy further demonstrated that she could quickly adapt to working with the OCA staff and members in an association environment.”
The diverse experiences in her previous roles enticed her to look at the opportunity at OCA. “I knew I wanted to marry that workforce development component as well as marry that equity component on the advocacy side,” Bruns said. “When the Ohio Contractors opportunity showed itself, it had a little bit of an advocacy and legislative advocacy component that I really enjoy doing – as well as the workforce-development-and-reaching-out-with-students component of it. So, that really kind of touched all those points that I had done leading up to this point.”
As Communications Coordinator, Bruns is charged with managing OCA’s internal and external communications, where she is providing social media; writing and production of the weekly e-newsletter; providing graphics content for print and digital material and events; as well as doing the association’s day-to-day collateral materials – such as flyers and graphics. “I make sure that our branding is cohesive and that we have formatted assets going out that look aesthetically pleasing and they represent the brand of OCA well,” Bruns said. “… Whatever is needed I’m kind of there.”
Among the “whatever is needed” tasks for Bruns will be assisting staff in the logistics and planning of events. “Cassidy is going to be handling promotional material for all the statewide events as well as all the social media efforts around those events… She’ll also serve as my back-up on those events,” said OCA Member Events Director David Rule.
In addition, a future task for Bruns will be helping redo and manage the OCA website.
A native of Hamilton, Bruns can trace her communications and health and wellness traits to her family. Her father is a graphic designer for Osborne Coinage Co., the nation’s oldest private mint, and a former radio deejay in the Cincinnati market; her mother is a nurse; and her sister works for Hamilton County Job & Family Services. In addition to her family, Bruns credits Southwest Ohio’s diverse population for playing a role in her early work on social justice projects and public advocacy.
Bruns says her father’s public speaking background played a role in her studying communications at Ohio U., where she also was the vice president of the school’s debate team. She proudly touts the school’s national titles in speech and debate, laughingly saying, “They are my only plaques I’ve won.”
She and her fiancé are parents of a less-than-a-year-old tabby cat, Louis, who Bruns describes as “the most infant-like cat and needs to always be held.” Along with exploring small towns and doing crafts, Bruns enjoys collecting Mid-Century Modern antiques, salt and pepper shakers and stuffed animals.
Along with learning more about heavy/highway construction, Bruns said she is looking forward to learning more about the industry’s workforce efforts. “I’ve done a few events where we’ve gotten to talk with high school students and apprentices and have gotten to hear their stories on why they are choosing this industry… OCA wants to engage a younger audience as much as they possibly can, and I look forward to helping with that.”