Alan Boyer

Professor of practice, Assistant director for digital innovation in media
alan3402@ksu.edu | 678-360-2779

Professor Boyer, based in Alpharetta, GA, maintains a virtual office on Zoom. Please email to set up an appointment.

Professor Boyer, a K-State master’s alum, member of the National Advisory Council and Professor of Practice in the A.Q. Miller School, created and leads several digital degree and certificate programs and strategic initiatives:

Bachelor's Degree in Digital Innovation in Media, in collaboration with the Colleges of Engineering and Business Administration, the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab, Global Campus and K-State Salina.
Graduate Certificate in Digital Media for Educators in collaboration with the College of Education
Certificate in Digital Engagement
K-State Digital Skills Certificate in partnership with Google
K-State Digital Summit in partnership with the Colleges of Engineering, Business Administration, the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab and K-State Salina.
Digital Kansas 2030 Initiative (DK2030), a transformative digital education and career ecosystem that advances digital workforce development in Kansas for generations through academic innovation, scholarship, digital exploration, exceptional applied learning experiences, interdisciplinary collaboration, multi-stakeholder engagement and partnerships. DK2030 includes the Digital Village, the next-gen interdisciplinary operating core that combines communications, arts, engineering, education, business and science with a focus on advanced media systems, digital platforms and research.
Next-Gen Master’s Program Proposal

Boyer also designed five new courses: MC 490/445 Advertising in a Digital World now Digital Brand Strategy, MC 265 Innovations in Media and Communications, MC 365 Writing in a Digital Economy, MC 565 Going Mobile! and COMM 470 Building Social and Cultural Connections.

Boyer’s service to the school, college and university is extensive, including:

School Service

Director of the A.Q. Miller School Search Committee
A.Q. Miller School Coordinating Council
A.Q. Miller School Graduate Programs Advancement Committee
A.Q. Miller School Graduate Faculty
Affiliate Faculty: Advertising and Public Relations
Affiliate Faculty: News and Sports Media
Affiliate Faculty: Communication Studies
Affiliate Faculty: Business in Sports Certificate in the College of Business Administration

University and College Service

Office of the President’s Documentary on the History of K-State’s Community Engagement within Manhattan
K-State Next-Gen Brand Task Force
K-State Division of Communications and Marketing’s Director of Digital Strategy Search Committee
Global Campus Panel on “Changing Roles for Students and Faculty in Online Environments”·
CAS Academic Standards Committee

Boyer teaches the following online courses for the A.Q. Miller School:

MC 120 Principles of Advertising
MC 265 Innovations in Media and Communication
MC 365 Writing in a Digital Economy
MC 445 Digital Brand Strategy
MC 456 Media Relations
MC 479 Strategic Sports Communications
MC 565 Going Mobile!
COMM 470 Building Social and Cultural Connections
MC 765 Communication Theory

Boyer has been affiliated with K-State since 1971 when his father, the late Dr. James Boyer, was recruited as the first African American graduate professor in the College of Education.

Industry Experience

Highlights of Boyer’s industry experience include serving in such roles as Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanta Life Financial Group; Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta; Vice President of Global Communications for Equifax; and Assistant Vice President and Digital Media Director for the Georgia Student Finance Commission; and Founding Managing Partner of the Marketing Lab.

Earlier in his career, Boyer was Director of Creative Services and Deputy Director of the Atlanta Village for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games; Director of Corporate Communications for First Data; Media Relations and Sports Events and Communications Manager for The Coca-Cola Company; and Advertising Manager at AT&T. Boyer briefly worked as a Broadcast Desk Editor and Sports Stringer for the Associated Press Kansas City Bureau and Reporter/Copy Editor for Springfield, MO, Newspapers.

Higher Education Experience

As Associate Dean for Marketing and Recruiting for Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Boyer planned and launched the Savannah Law School, a branch campus for John Marshall; hired admissions and recruiting staff; and developed the marketing and recruiting strategy that increased law school applications more than 11 percent for both campuses.

Boyer’s teaching experience includes in-person and online courses in communications, journalism, marketing, advertising, digital media, writing for newspapers, strategic sports communications, organizational communications, telecommunications, public speaking, feature writing, leadership communications, persuasion, media relations, business communications, and other subjects at K-State and public and private colleges and universities in the Southeast, including Kansas State University, Georgia Gwinnett College, University of South Florida, Georgia Highlands College, Kennesaw State University, Berry College, University of West Georgia and Clayton State University.

Consulting

Small and large businesses, start-ups, nonprofits and colleges and universities have engaged Professor Boyer for his expertise in strategic planning, executive coaching, brand communications strategy, organizational effectiveness, marketing and recruiting, including:

Office of the President, Accreditation Application, Atlanta University for Heath Science, Summer 2020
Office of the President, MBA Program Development, Reformed University, Summer 2018
Office of the Vice President of Basketball Programs, Community Strategy, Atlanta Hawks, January 2016
Office of the Director, Management Communications Plan and Creative Strategy, Cox Family Enterprise Center for the Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University, March 2015
Office of the President, Strategic Communications and Operations Plan, ICON Medical Products, February 2014
Office of the Director, Marketing, Admissions and Recruiting Strategy, Global Partners MBA Program, Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University. May 2013
Office of the Executive Director, Strategic Planning, Auburn Historic Development Corporation, 2010
Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Strategic Planning, SecureWare, 2008-2010

Lectures & Workshops

Boyer has lectured and conducted workshops on a range of topics for schools of business, schools of media and communications around the country, including:

Diversity in Media, A.Q. Miller School, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, April 2022
Digital Public Relations, A.Q. Miller School, Kansas State University, Manhattan, April 2022, Fall 2021
Power of Branding in Business Model Canvassing. Envision International Business Innovation Conference, Columbia University. New York, NY, July 2016
Power of Branding in Business Model Canvassing. Envision International Business Innovation Conferences at the University of Chicago. Chicago, IL, July 2016
Power of Branding in Business Model Canvassing. Envision International Business Innovation Conference, Stanford University. Palo Alto, CA, June 2016
Presentation to the Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner for the AQ Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, April 2016
Strategic Division Communications. Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Division, University of West Georgia. Carollton, GA, August 2015
Strategic Internal Communications. Leadership Development Institute, University of West Georgia. Carollton, GA, May 2015
Effective Leadership Communications. Leadership Development Institute, University of West Georgia. Carollton, GA, February 2015
The Importance of Understanding Business to Public Relations Students at Clark Atlanta University, Fall 2012
Effective Group Presentations to Business Management Course, Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, October 2009. April 2010

Digital Journey

Highlights of Professor Boyer’s experience in digital media and enterprise security industry include developing and launching 40+ corporate and product web sites, social media sites, mobile apps, digital marketing campaigns, social media campaigns, email marketing and retargeting campaigns, e-commerce platforms and enterprise security products and services.

Boyer also led the market launch of an ebilling product for MSFDC, a joint venture between Microsoft and First Data Corporation, that allows consumers to receive and pay their bills over the Internet; and an online consumer identity authentication product for Equifax that enables online retailers and financial institutions to verify the identities for consumers applying for credit, credit cards, loans and utilities and purchasing products and services over the Internet.

Boyer created the first digital brand presence and digital strategy for First Data, Equifax, Federal Home Loan Bank, Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, John Marshall Law School, Savannah Law School and digital rebrands for John Marshall Law School, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Atlanta Life Financial Group, Cox Family Enterprise Center, International MBA Program for the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University and the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

Sports Journey

Professor Boyer is a sports fan. He’s been a player, a sports reporter, a sports marketer and a coach for the last 15 years. Highlights of Boyer’s sports journey include experience with the following organizations:

Atlanta Hawks (Marketing/Basketball Development Coach)

Community Marketing Events in Schools
Youth Training Camps/Clinics
Player Appearances

1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (Olympic Villages/Creative Services)

Village Media Relations
Athletes Entertainment Zone
Olympic Stadium Groundbreaking Ceremony
Look of the Games Design Team Selection and Coordination

The Coca-Cola Company (Media Relations/Sports Marketing)

Michael Jordan Basketball Camp and Community Appearances
Fernando Valenzuela Houston Bottler Event Appearances
International Torch Relay Promotion Director, Barcelona Summer Olympic Games
Kentucky Derby Winner’s Circle Events Manager
Event Marketing Programs, Calgary Winter Olympic Games
Major League Baseball Team Community Events-St. Louis Cardinals
Peachtree Road Race Consumer Promotions

Equifax (Media Relations/Pro Sports Events)

Atlanta Falcons Promotional Events
Atlanta Hawks Promotional Events

Associated Press-Kansas City Bureau

Broadcast Desk Editor and Sports Stringer for Kansas State Sports

IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Georgia Rep and Basketball Team Training Sales

Georgia Hoopstars Basketball Program (VP/Coach)

13U-15U Team Coach

NCAA-Certified College Exposure Basketball Tournament Coach

Research

Grant

Board Service

Vice Chair, Black Faculty & Staff Alliance, Kansas State University, 2021 -
Member, the National Advisory Council of the AQ Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Member of Governance Subcommittee, Kansas State University, 2013 to present
Member, Marketing Executive Roundtable, Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, 2003-2006
Judge, Public Speaking Community Oratory Competition, Gainesville, GA, Optimist Club, Spring 2018-
Judge, Public Speaking Showcase, Department of Communications, Kennesaw State University, 2009 to 2016
Judge, Public Speaking Competition, Georgia Highlands College, (with other professionals from the business community) April 2015
Judge, Max Awards, Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, 2003-2006

Community

Volunteer, Save the Horses, Canton, GA, 2018 –
Member, Board of Trustees, Fellowship Temple Church, Manhattan, KS, 2017 to present
Coach, Youth Development Community Basketball Program, NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, 2013 –
Head Coach and Mentor, 15U Georgia Hoopstars Girls Basketball, Atlanta, GA, 2006-2011
Associate Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, North Cobb Christian School, Acworth, GA, 2006-2007
Head Coach and Mentor, Kennesaw Mountain Middle School Basketball Program, 2004-2007

Education

Boyer earned a Master of Science in Mass Communications from the A.Q. Miller School and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Broadcasting from Lincoln University in Missouri. He also earned a Certificate in Brand Communications Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Certificate in Marketing Strategy from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.