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She’s ripped, rides a Harley and looks like the last person you’d want to mess with. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting you mess with her, but here’s the truth about Marilyn DeMartini, the head of PR Power in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.:
She’s a marshmallow. Her edges are all exterior.
Unless, of course, you get sideways with one of her high-performance marine industry clients. Then you better watch yourself. Her domestic clients currently include Cigarette Racing Team, Latham Marine and The Art of Design in the United Stations, as well as Powerboat P1 abroad.
But the job of a good PR person is not defense. It is providing what twitchy media types like, well, me, need at a moment’s notice. Writers and editors are frantic folks, and they appreciate anyone they only have to ask once for something—from a phone number to a photo—when they need it. And that is a perfect description of Marilyn DeMartini.
Always smooth but never slick, DeMartini, who has 20-plus years of public relations experience. entered high-performance boat PR realm for the Drambuie On Ice offshore racing team. She was immediately hooked.
“I love the energy of the people in the high-performance boating world and their passion for the detail, engineering and pure power of the boats,” she says, “There is a great camaraderie, even though there is a highly competitive spirit.”
What doesn’t she like about the sport?
“The politics and egos that get in the way of the things I love about it,” she says.
DeMartini started her career as journalist with golf, sports apparel and fitness magazines. Her public relations career actually began with Boston Ballet and, later, WROR Radio in Boston. She later worked on camera covering offshore racing for SpeedVision, and she also has contributed feature articles to several high-performance boating magazines.
“I am a writer at heart,” DeMartini says, “But PR and promotion is in my blood. The changing scope of PR which includes social media and the broad ramifications of the web is changing the way we do business and it is an exciting, while challenging time. We have to keep up with technology and be directly in touch with people instead of just press. The conversation has to grow with the audience and so do we.”
So when the ripped woman on the Harley roars up behind you the next time your at an offshore race, relax. It’s just Marilyn DeMartini (The Marshmallow) on her way to work.
“Fitness and motorcycling are my two passions—both because of the power inherent in both of them—which relates to my passion for powerboating,” she says. “Fitness gives me a feeling of personal power and wellness, as well as the stamina to keep up with my demanding work schedule.”
That’s pure DeMartini—another one of those colorful characters who keeps things interesting. |
