Swan-Kohler & Associates, specializing in food marketing, public relations and promotions, was founded in 1991 by Nina Swan-Kohler. Now in its 20th year, the agency focuses exclusively on food marketing, public relations and culinary services. Nina Swan-Kohler has over thirty years of experience in marketing and communications for food and consumer products. During 2003, she authored, published and marketed her first cookbook: “Tailgates to Touchdowns: Fabulous Football Food.” Nina and her book have been featured in over 150 newspapers nationwide and in many national magazines including Southern Living, Midwest Living and Southern Lady. In 2003, Nina also became the food writer for “The Woman Today,” a bi-monthly magazine about life and events in Cedar Rapids and in 2008, she began writing a food column for a local monthly magazine (City Revealed). In 2006, Nina began teaching regular cooking classes in her home featuring many of the recipes she has developed. “Cooking in the Kitchen with Nina” cooking classes are offered and taught each month.
Swan-Kohler & Associates is located in Robins, Iowa, (just outside Cedar Rapids). A demonstration gourmet “show” kitchen and a recipe test kitchen are available for client use.
Educational Background
Nina Swan-Kohler holds a master’s degree in foods, nutrition, and communications from the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, and a bachelor’s degree in home economics education from Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO.
Prior to founding Swan-Kohler & Associates,
Nina Swan-Kohler held the following positions:
Account Executive and Account Supervisor, CMF&Z Advertising and Public Relations Agency, Cedar Rapids, IA – Worked in both advertising and public relations for nearly eight years. Worked with the following food or food-related clients: Seaboard Farms of Athens, Inc.; Beatrice Cheese; Better Homes and Gardens; and Refined Sugars. (1984 to 1991)
Director of Consumer Relations, National Oats Company, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA – Handled all public relations activities for the company, including the promotion of branded products – (Three Minute Brand Oats and Super Pop Popcorn). Supervised the test kitchen staff, consumer response program, and community relations activities. Represented the company as media spokesperson/home economist, which included traveling throughout the southern states for television and radio appearances and for interviews with newspaper editors. Managed the promotion of the Oatmeal Festival in Oatmeal, TX, an event that drew national media attention. (1981 to 1984)
Nutrition/Media Coordinator, St. Louis District Dairy Council, St. Louis, MO – Handled all public relations activities, including planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating nutrition education programs (promoting milk and dairy products) for use with the mass media. Represented the dairy industry as media spokesperson throughout Missouri and Illinois, and coordinated all staff media contacts and interviews. Developed special programs to reach consumers via grocery stores. (1979 to 1981)
International Marketing Specialist, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Jefferson City, MO – Assisted Missouri-based food companies in finding international markets for their products. (1978/1979)
Home Economist/Program Director, St. Louis District Dairy Council, Springfield, MO – Planned and implemented nutrition education programs promoting milk and dairy products for teachers of preschoolers through adults, health professionals, and consumers through personal contacts, group presentations, and exhibits in the Southwest Missouri fourteen-county area. Also worked with the media to promote good nutrition habits including milk and dairy products. (1975 to 1978)
Additional Career Information:
Professional Organizations
Member of Consumer Trends Forum International (CTFI) since March 1999 (chairperson for committee creating a new name for the professional organization [1998]); member of International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), since 1995. Former member of American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS, formerly AHEA); former member of AAFCS Business Section (formerly HEIB; national and state officer from 1985 to 1991, chairperson for national professional development seminar for membership in 1987); chairperson of Iowa State University’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Board, 1994 – 1996; member of The Cedar Rapids Salvation Army Advisory Board, 1991 – 2001 (public relations chairperson, 1991 – 1997; Christmas campaign chairperson, 1995 and 2000); trustee on The Iowa 4-H Foundation Board (1995-2000); and member of the Cedar Rapids Birthright Advisory Board, marketing chairperson. (1998-2011)
Awards
Named “Outstanding Junior Alumna” in 1984 and received one of six “Alumni Merit Awards” in 1999 from Southeast Missouri State University. Nina was named “Home Economist in Business of the Year” by the Iowa Home Economists in Business (1990), and twice awarded the prestigious “Drumbeater Award” by The Cedar Rapids Salvation Army (1994 and 1996).
Other Highlights
Keynote speaker for Missouri Home Economics Association state meeting (1981), speaker for Iowa Home Economics Association meetings (1981, 1983, 1987), speaker for Cedar Rapids Public Relations Association (1983 and 1999), and speaker for Three Rivers Community College Women’s Seminar (1995). Initiated the “free breakfast program” for The Cedar Rapids Salvation Army in 1991 to provide a hot breakfast to all needy people in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Active in the 4-H program in her youth, Nina was an International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) representative to Trinidad and Tobago, where she lived with eleven families during the five-month cultural exchange program to promote world peace and understanding. She also learned a lot about East Indian cuisine and cooking Caribbean-style with tropical fruits and vegetables.
Personal
Nina is a native of Pocahontas, Missouri and currently resides with her husband in Robins, Iowa (just outside of Cedar Rapids). She is married to Ronald Kohler. Ron is General Adjuster for Cunningham-Lindsey, an independent insurance adjustment firm. Nina’s hobbies include entertaining, interior decorating, walking, needle-pointing and traveling.
Capabilities of Swan-Kohler & Associates
Swan-Kohler & Associates focuses exclusively on food marketing and communications, and providing culinary services. Nina Swan-Kohler has a network of experienced and creative associates (art directors/graphic designers, copy writers and editors, media planners and buyers, home economists, and clerical support) “standing by” to assist with the execution of any plans presented to and approved by clients of Swan-Kohler & Associates.
Marketing and Public Relations:
- Develop basic news releases about the company and/or products for media
- Write features articles about product used in recipes for newspaper/magazine editors
- Develop thematic recipe promotions for both newspaper and magazine food editors
- Develop/coordinate events
- Develop and coordinate company/corporate/product newsletters
- Provide spokesperson training for company staff
- Represent company as spokesperson to media and beyond
- Develop public relations activities to specific products, parties, promotions, etc.
- Coordinate/conduct research including focus group research
Promotions:
- Produce sell sheets and sales collateral
- Coordinate and style product photography
- Coordinate tie-in promotions with other food or packaged-goods companies
- Develop trade show plans and materials
- Coordinate trade show booth design and trade show activities
- Develop/place FSI (free standing insert) promotional advertising
- Develop direct mail materials
- Coordinate/manage customer appreciation functions/trips
- Coordinate in-store demos
Package Design:
- Develop new product names and package graphic designs
- Coordinate production of packaging
Culinary Services:
- Develop and test original recipes
- Prepare and style food for photography
- Select and style props for food photography
- Analyze recipes for nutritional value
- Develop and produce recipe brochures and cookbooks
- Demonstrate food/recipes for groups or TV
- Demonstrate recipes at stair fairs and other events
- Teach cooking classes to consumers and corporate groups
- Teach team-building classes for businesses
List of Swan-Kohler & Associates Clients
The following companies and/or organizations have utilized the public relations and culinary services of Nina Swan-Kohler and/or Swan-Kohler & Associates:
- A Taste of Iowa – Des Moines, IA
- Amana/AGA – Amana, IA
- Adams Extract Company – Austin, TX
- Beatrice Cheese – Milwaukee, WI
- Better Home and Gardens Books* – Des Moines, IA
- Burleson’s Pure Honey – Waxahachie, TX
- Corner Store Foods (Mitec) – Cedar Rapids, IA
- Cooking in the Kitchen with Nina – Robins, IA
- Curtice Burns Foods – Memphis, TN
- Charoen Pokphund – Eufaula, AL
- C. H. Guenther & Son, Inc. – Pioneer Flour Mills, San Antonio, TX
- C. H. Guenther & Son, Inc. – White Lily Foods Company, Knoxville, TN
- Farmland Foods, Inc., – Kansas City, MO
- Gourmet Made Simple, – Hiawatha, IA
- Iowa Egg Council – Ames, IA
- Iowa Teleproduction Center, Inc. – Des Moines, IA
- Java Creek Café – Cedar Rapids, IA
- Kraft General Foods – Chicago, IL
- ME&V – Cedar Falls, IA
- Meredith Corporation – Des Moines, IA
- Met Life Home Loans – Irving, TX
- National Oats Company, Inc. – Cedar Rapids, IA
- National Pork Board – Des Moines, IA
- Refined Sugars – Yonkers, NY
- Lesaffre Yeast Corporation – SAF Products, Inc., and Red Star Yeast – Milwaukee, WI
- Seaboard Farms of Athens, Inc. – Athens, GA
- Seaboard Farms – Corporate – Kennesaw, GA
- Seaboard Farms – Pork Division, Shawnee Mission, KS
- Sunshine Nut Company, Inc. – San Antonio, TX
- Tailgates to Touchdowns – Cedar Rapids, IA
- Taste of Home Cooking Schools – Greendale, WI
- West Liberty Foods – West Liberty, IA
- Weber-Shandwick Public Relations – Chicago, IL
- PRO BONO: First Assembly of God Church – Cedar Rapids, IA
- PRO BONO: The Cedar Rapids Salvation Army – Cedar Rapids, IA
- PRO BONO: Birthright – Cedar Rapids, IA
Nina Swan-Kohler
460 Hickory Court, Robins, Iowa 52328
Business Phone: (319) 393-7675 Cell Phone: (319) 560-4710 Fax: (319) 393-8633