Jill Michelle Armbruster

Age: 36

Occupation: Director of marketing, UCI Medical Affiliates

Family: Boyfriend, Walker Daves; parents, Jim and Gloria Armbruster; brother and sister-in-law, Jimmy and Ashley

Education: B.A. in mass communications, Clemson University

Community and professional highlights: Board member, Salute From the Shore; former board member, American Advertising Federation of the Midlands, the Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art, the Columbia Design League, and the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a kid, I always said I wanted to be an insurance salesman (who didn’t?!), because that’s what my father was. Today, I still want to be like my father – who was honest, hard-working and compassionate toward others in his career. That is what made him successful, and I strive to meet those same standards in my own career. He also has a great sense of humor, which I believe crucial to one’s sanity.

You were instrumental in helping save the Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art and helped bring the Chihuly chandelier to the Midlands. Why is it vital for the area to have a thriving arts community? It’s no secret that a vibrant arts community affects a region’s overall ability to retain and recruit good people and jobs. Our board really came of age during a time when Columbia was just starting to build momentum. As young professionals who wanted a future here, we were motivated to help propel our city in the right direction by funneling energy into the arts. At the same time, the leadership at the museum challenged our group to contribute to the community and overall mission of the museum. To us, that challenge became a goal to exceed even our own wildest expectations. What started as a “what if…” comment at a board meeting became a battle cry to redefine what young professionals could do to serve a community. It was incredible to be a part of that group – most of whom remain my closest friends. And, now, I’d love to see that same sort of enthusiasm blossom for organizations like our State Museum as math and sciences become increasingly important to the competitiveness of our state. I challenge the new young professionals!

You’ve been called a “sparkplug of marketing ideas,” leading a team to produce significant work while also keeping it fun. How do you find that balance? Productivity and fun are simply natural byproducts when energetic people come together for a common goal. The healthcare industry is fertile ground for innovation, which means the sky’s the limit for turning ideas into actions to expand services and improve patients’ experiences. So having quality products and services to market certainly makes my job easier, as well as having smart and motivated people on my team. But also, the leadership at my company places a high value on creativity and encourages all of our teams to think outside the box and in collaborative ways. Many of our best marketing projects have come from combined efforts with our IS/IT teams, because data and technology are vital to successful healthcare marketing. If we can dream it, they can build it.

This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Jill Michelle Armbruster."