A Brief Bit About Me: John Coonen

Thanks for taking a second to see who it is on this side of the screen.

My name is John Coonen. I'm 43 (and holding), born on July 3rd, 1964 in Springfield, Illinois. Married, two kids, two cars and two dogs, I work from home and the road - wherever it takes me. Our home is in Crystal Lake, Illinois, about an hour (or more with heavy traffic) northwest of Chicago.

It's seemingly unreal to say I've been in my line of work for twenty years now, but I have. I run my own boutique marketing research and innovation firm, called The Coffee Group. 

While I wear many hats as a business owner, my first career passion is graphic design - logos, websites, tradeshow exhibits, brochures--the whole shootin' match when it comes to marketing communications.  For lack of a better catch-all word, I design "solutions" for my clientele, and that takes on many shapes, colors, styles and languages.

Innovation and engaging people in my clients' work is my passion. Much of my work centers around campaigns - fundraising campaigns for non-profits, political campaigns for governing leaders and causes; advertising campaigns for companies large and small.

More than anything, I enjoy using my talents (graphic design, writing, illustration, photography, web development, etc) for great causes.  In the past, I've raised a fair amount of money for several causes. Over $2,500,000 over the past four years. 

Equally important, I've been fortunate to shed a fair amount of light and brought attention to very important causes - from anti-smoking campaigns to child identification; from saving historic architecture and open space to heading up the creation of a cultural arts center; from fundraising for local kids in need of medical treatment to raising over six-figures for a food pantry.

Today, I see energy independence as the United States'  first priority.
With my involvement in politics and community service, combined with twenty years in public relations and advertising, my hope is that together, we can spark interest in MAKING SERIOUS MEASURABLE PROGRESS on this issue which affects us to the core. 

My goal is to be a part of leading the effort to get the USA FREE from OPEC within five years - by July 4th, 2012.  I have a HUNCH that the FIRST PHASE of this solution lies NOT in the literal conversion of folks' autos to E85, biomass, electricity, or hybrid solutions,  but converting their THINKING into the practice of using US-based energy first.

Once that occurs, and critical mass takes hold, nothing can stop it, folks. It will change, and change VERY QUICKLY. My aim is to be a part of this solution, and get it rolling.

It is time we stop funding our enemies' warchest, and switch to US-based and North American-based energy NOW.  The sooner we cut off the flow of money to the Persian Gulf, the sooner our national interests will be directed where they belong - on promoting prosperity here at home first - not relying on hostile "partners" for a vital key to our economic well-being.

First things first.  Come join the E85 group, and think of it as a place to help CHANGE folks' thinking to alternative energy sources - from ethanol to biomass, biodiesel to electricity, wind and yes, human power too.  I've always loved my Shwinn bike, and Trek ain't bad either. ;)

Cheers,

John Coonen