Daniel Beens
Marketing Strategist & MBA
Metro Detroit
Marketing Strategist & MBA
Metro Detroit
Daniel Beens is a Metro Detroit-based Marketing Strategist and MBA with 12+ years driving acquisition, market expansion, and digital performance across financial, automotive, and education sectors. Proven ability to turn insights into growth, modernize workflows, and deliver campaigns that outperform benchmarks.
Go-to-Market Strategy
Cross-Functional Teams
Vendor & Agency Management
CRM & Email Journeys
Acquisition Strategy
Digital Optimization
Data-Driven Insights
Workflow Modernization
Project Management
Budgeting
Process Improvement
July 2021 – Present
Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union
Troy, Michigan | A credit union with $4B+ in assets serving 155,000+ members across Michigan.
Strategic lead for multi-channel lending campaigns and new market launches, driving acquisition and member growth for a $4B+ financial institution.
Auto Finance Strategy: Drove $2M+ in auto refinance volume in a single campaign by leveraging Experian and SavvyMoney data to target high-value prospects.
Strategic Program Leadership: Led accelerated launches of high-priority programs—including the UAW Economic Relief Loan, Government Shutdown Loan, First Responder Cadet Program, and Firehouse Friday sponsorship—by aligning cross-functional teams around undefined or shifting roadmaps.
New Market Launches: Led go-to-market strategy for seven new branches, integrating paid media, direct marketing, and local outreach to accelerate early market penetration.
Digital Engagement: Delivered a 15-point lift above industry benchmarks through interactive rich media ads and created deep-link QR solutions that resolved critical UX barriers in the referral program.
CRM Optimization: Achieved up to 85% open rates on segmented Salesforce journeys through improved targeting and creative testing.
Market Insights & Positioning: Strengthened MSGCU’s rate positioning by continuously monitoring Edmunds national and Michigan averages and integrating comparisons into the website and direct marketing materials, giving members clear context and supporting lending strategy.
Workflow & Innovation: Improved campaign delivery speed by implementing new digital tools and Asana workflows, reducing bottlenecks and improving team collaboration.
February 2018 – July 2021
Lutheran High School Association
Rochester Hills, Michigan | A private non-profit educational association operating three high schools in Southeast Michigan.
Directed all marketing and admissions operations, leading a digital transformation that modernized enrollment for three high schools.
Strategic Growth: Directed marketing strategy for an association of three high schools, capturing new market share in non-feeder segments despite heavy competition from private schools.
Operational Modernization: Led the rollout of new student management software, successfully migrating 100% of families to online applications, forms, and tuition billing.
Team Leadership: Led a three-person marketing and admissions team, driving budget planning, campaign strategy, and content development to support enrollment growth.
Digital Transformation: Redesigned and managed four websites, driving a 14.5% increase in traffic through improved user experience (UX) and content optimization.
Audience Engagement: Revamped social strategy to highlight student success, resulting in 85% organic follower growth across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
June 2013 – January 2018
Penske Automotive Group
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan | A Fortune 500 automotive retailer with $20B+ in annual revenue and global operations.
Managed digital governance and CRM automation for a Fortune 500 retailer, optimizing the customer journey across 160+ locations nationwide.
CRM & Automation: Standardized lead nurturing strategies within Salesforce, developing and testing automated email journeys for Sales and Service across the U.S. network. Managed content governance for 40+ brands, ensuring strict adherence to compliance standards and annual OEM model updates.
Social Media Expansion: Identified market trends to successfully advocate for and launch Instagram profiles across 160+ dealership locations, while driving 95% follower growth on Facebook.
Digital Optimization: Collaborated with vendors to repair broken links across 259 websites (300,000+ pages), achieving a 51% reduction in errors to boost SEO and user retention.
Competitive Benchmarking: Audited digital lead handling and response times against local competitors, identifying gaps in sales processes and presenting improvement strategies to executive leadership.
Event Logistics: Assisted with the on-site coordination of vendor load-in, hospitality setup, and guest management for Penske assets at the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
May 2012 – May 2013
Campbell Marketing & Communications – Ford Racing
Dearborn, Michigan | A full-service marketing agency serving major automotive OEM clients.
Supported Ford Racing marketing and communications, connecting the brand with enthusiast communities through events and content.
Dealer & Customer Relations: Served as a primary liaison for 4,000+ vehicle owners and dealers, providing warranty guidance and data for niche performance vehicles.
Brand Compliance: Analyzed distributor pricing strategies to enforce advertising guidelines, delivering 100% compliance.
Events & Content: Executed 10+ grassroots events for brand activation and authored original technical articles featured in SVT Enthusiast magazine and Ford Racing blogs.
September 2010 – January 2012
Thrivent Financial
Shelby Township, Michigan | A Fortune 500 financial services organization with $179B+ in assets under management serving 2.3 million clients.
Provided comprehensive financial guidance to individuals and families, aligning investment and insurance strategies with their goals and simplifying complex decisions with clarity and confidence.
Series 7 Licensed (General Securities Representative Qualification Examination)
Series 63 Licensed (Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination)
February 2009 – June 2009
Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, Florida | A Fortune 50 media conglomerate with an exclusive global alumni network of 50,000+ professionals.
Selected for a competitive internship focused on operations and guest experience. Developed world-class service and adaptability skills in a high-volume environment, forming the foundation of my customer-first approach to marketing.
Disney Traditions Class
Magical Service Award June 2009
Handled various retail merchandise areas at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort
Atlanta Braves Spring Training
Walt Disney World Marathon
2006 – 2010
Concordia University Wisconsin
Mequon, Wisconsin
Accelerated Dual Degree: Selected for the Business Scholars Program, completing both B.S. and M.B.A. in four years by averaging 18+ credits per semester.
Honors: Awarded Presidential Scholarship for academic excellence.
2018 – 2020
Lutheran North High School
Macomb, Michigan
May 2011
Trinity Lutheran Church & School
Utica, Michigan
Open to conversations around marketing leadership, growth strategy, and meaningful collaboration.
Marketing Strategist & MBA
Metro Detroit