Marketing & Communications Committee

Gery L. Deer is an award-winning writer, creative director, and the founder of GLD Communications. His diverse career began on his family farm in Jamestown, Ohio, working livestock, participating in 4-H, and working as a mechanic and driver in his father’s agricultural trucking business, Gary Deer & Sons, LLC.

A 1985 graduate of Greeneview High School in Jamestown, Gery attended Wright State University, where he studied first biology, but later changed over to mechanical engineering and computer science at Sinclair Community College. He also spent some time at Ohio University, where he continued his technological education and studied writing and composition. To help pay for school, he began freelancing and sold his first piece of writing to his college newspaper. That set the stage for his future as a copywriter, editor, and featured journalist.

After graduation, Gery spent several years as a technician, computer programmer, database developer, and research analyst studying petrochemical operations in the U.S. and Canada. In 1998, Gery left the corporate world to go out on his own and opened “Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd.,” an information technology support firm. Over the years, the company evolved into GLD Communications, which uniquely combines technology and creativity to create a full-service communications and public relations media agency that serves clients nationwide.

Gery is a leading expert in the areas of copywriting, creative development, editing, public relations, and referral marketing. He is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, the Authors Guild, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, and a 24-year member of Business Networking International (BNI).

Notable Moments

2008-2018 Op-ed series, Deer in Headlines, nominated for various editorial awards

2010 Nominated for Pulitzer Prize in Journalism and Ohio Public Images Network Media Award

2O17 Three (3) American Advertising Federation Awards for Creative Direction and Copywriting

2024 Op-Ed Series, Deer In Headlines II, (2023-Present) nominated for awards in the following areas: Ohio Associated Press Editorial Awards, National Society of Newspaper Columnists Editorial Award, and Writers Digest Annual Writing Awards.

Recognized by BNI Miami Valley Region for 20 Years of Outstanding Service

Volunteer Work

He volunteers and raises money through endurance cycling events to support national literacy programs through Reading is Fundamental (RIF). Locally, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Miami Valley Nonprofit Coalition and is a founding member of the Patient Advocacy Council of the international Association of the Bladder Exstrophy Community. Gery also serves as a Mentor and Education Coordinator of The Green Team Chapter of Business Network International (BNI) in Dayton and a chapter success coach for the Dayton Miami Valley Region of BNI.

From 2016 until 2019, Gery served as chairperson of the Executive Council and Communications Committee of Prevent Blindness Ohio’s Miami Valley Ohio chapter and spent several years in various positions with the board of directors of the Yellow Springs, Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

Personal Interests

Many of his personal interests have led to career opportunities, among them music, writing, television and film production, public speaking, and stage performance. For fun, you can find him on the bike trail, performing with his family musical group, The Brothers & Co., or banging out his first genre novel on one of his antique typewriters. He currently lives in Jamestown with his wife Barbara.

For more information, follow Gery’s official social media pages and visit www.gldcommunications.com.