Name: Anne Schopen
Hometown: Jefferson, Wisconsin
Occupation: Mother, public relations leader, director of client services at Pineapple Reputation Management
She cherishes family: “Nothing makes me happier than quality time with my daughter, Ava. She has such a sense of adventure and happiness about her.”
She has a competitive streak: “From the time I was 9, I’ve played competitive team sports. I take pride in being able to secure a nice roster of media opportunities for my clients. When I worked at the Children’s Theatre and the Ordway, I certainly watched the daily sales numbers. I’m competitive, but both sports and successful marketing/PR are team efforts.”
She loves to travel: Because Ava is an Irish dancer, mother and daughter explore new cities and countries during competitions. “I also photograph our adventures. Part of me would secretly like to be a travel photographer.”
She’s surprisingly flexible: Years of yoga have helped Schopen maintain flexibility and she has a nearly Martha-Stewart-like ability to organize space.
She’s a reader: Mostly fiction. “Someday I may be tempted to write my own screenplay or novel.”
She’s generous with advice: “It’s really important that you realize not everything a group does is newsworthy. Pitch your story idea to a reporter/editor/producer when it fits what they like to write about. It’s a service to the reporter—and to your company—to be smart about what you pitch, how you pitch it and when.”
She’s a clear communicator: Her colleagues say she’s straightforward, a very good mentor and passionate about providing great results for clients.
She gets work done: “At Starbucks—though I do like to support Caribou.”
She’s rooted in the community: They have lived here since 2000 and Ava attends Maple Grove Junior High. In Schopen’s downtime, you might find her walking around the lakes downtown, popping into Teavana, Goodthings or Nadia Cakes, catching a movie, or getting a pedicure with Ava at Peony. “We also like heading to Elm Creek Park Reserve for ski meets or tubing with friends.” In spring, they stop at Erik’s Bike Shop to get ready for rides around Rice Lake.
I am Maple Grove: While the city provides all types of amenities, “it still has the feel of a smaller community.” —as told to Cyd Haynes
