Public Relations and Marketing

Michael Tierney

Chief Operating Officer

For the past three decades, Michael Tierney has created marketing and PR campaigns for some of the country’s most formidable brands.

His immediate past professional assignment was a 10-year stint at KFC, where he served in a variety of marketing posts. He started as Director of PR, acquired advertising responsibilities as Director of Advertising and PR, until finally he was named Director of Marketing for Snacks and Flavors, where he had responsibility for the fastest-growing part of the menu. During his time with the brand, system-wide revenues increased 28 percent — outpacing the industry for that period.

Prior to KFC, Michael was the Senior Manager of Consumer Products for Telecommunications pioneer MCI. While at MCI, Michael won a PRSA Silver Anvil in the Consumer Category. His work for brands like “Friends & Family” and “1-800-Collect” earned coverage in national and local media coast to coast. Michael was a regular spokesperson for the industry in the national media and earned a reputation for creating and executing distinct, differentiated product positioning in a commodity industry.

Michael started his career at Edelman Public Relations, representing consumer clients that included Vanity Fair, the Conference of Mayors, SC Johnson Wax, KFC and Kraft.

Tim Lawson

Director of Client Services

With more than 25 years of experience, Tim Lawson has managed just about every aspect of public relations imaginable.

Before joining Tandem, Tim worked for Doe Anderson, where he managed all public relations activities for Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Shoney’s Restaurants, and Morton’s Steakhouse, among other clients. Prior to joining Doe Anderson, he worked for Creative Alliance, the largest ad agency in Kentucky, and managed a variety of consumer and government clients, including the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, Kentucky Virtual.com, KFC, and the Technology Park of Greater Louisville. Tim’s clients have been featured on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America,” and in Home Magazine, Southern Living, Good Housekeeping and The New York Times.

A graduate of the University of Louisville, Tim has a long history of working with nonprofit groups and his passion for public service has been recognized with national and local awards.

Tim was named to Business First of Louisville’s Forty Under 40 list and is a graduate of Focus Louisville.

Beth Moore

Marketing & Public Relations Consultant

Beth Moore brings more than 25 years of corporate and agency marketing and public relations experience specializing in the consumer products sector. She has solid experience in brand marketing, youth marketing, cause branding and public relations.

Prior to launching her consulting business, Beth held several marketing and public relations positions with Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), a division of Yum! Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company. As KFC Marketing Brand Manager, she developed strategic plans and insight-driven marketing initiatives for a variety of KFC products. Beth managed more than 50 major national brand initiatives through product research, development, test marketing and national launch for 5,400 KFC restaurants nationwide.
She launched and managed KFC’s Colonel’s Kids Charity (501c3), a national multimillion-dollar community affairs initiative designed to provide families with better access to high-quality childcare. She re-engineered the charity’s primary fundraising mechanism, resulting in more than $2 million annually, and created the brand’s first cause marketing campaign benefitting Colonel’s Kids. She worked closely with partners Entertainment Industry Foundation and the YMCA of the USA to launch the initiative.
As KFC Public Relations Manager, Beth managed the brand’s national public relations campaigns, community affairs programs, product placement initiatives, and crisis communications plans.
Prior to joining KFC and Yum! Brands, Beth worked in Atlanta with two national public relations agencies: Ketchum, and Cohn & Wolfe. She developed national media relations campaigns, retailer promotions, and special events for a variety of clients, including Hasbro Toy Group, Sylvan Learning Systems, FirstNight Atlanta, First Union National Bank, Millennium Rechargeables, Georgia Peach Commission, Imprinted Products — the 1996 Olympic Games pin licensee — and residential architectural designer Stephen Fuller.

She received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida and, during college, worked at the London Tourist Board and Convention Bureau as part of a work / study program at Richmond College in London, England.