Nevada Sentinel Events Registry was mandated by statute to be fully implemented by January 1, 2005. Following eight months of work, and seven months prior to implementation, only 20% of implementation plan was completed, and Bureau's partnership with Nevada Hospital Association (NHA) Sentinel Events Registry Work Group was on shaky ground.

Two weeks after accepting position, the direct supervisor responsible for implementing new registry began extended medical leave followed by unexpected resignation.

Took lead in registry implementation at request of Bureau Chief, including repairing and strengthening NHA relationship in addition to regular job responsibilities. Led implementation through legislative process to successfully support regulations adopted; developed reporting forms and guide; hired Sentinel Events Registrar; established Registry website; and trained 80% reporting medical facilities all within seven months.

Nevada Sentinel Events Registry successfully implemented on schedule. NHA established a Patient Safety Committee, of which Sentinel Events Work Group is a standing sub-committee; personally remain advisory member for both committees.

State of Nevada’s self-funded medical insurance plan awarded HMO contract for Northern Nevada employees to a new plan which was not authorized to provide services in all Northern Nevada counties at the time of the contract award.

Two weeks after beginning in position, direct supervisor took extended medical leave for more than three months and then unexpectedly resigned. Supervisor was responsible for taking HMO through geographic expansion process for Certificate of Authority. In addition, Bureau’s relationship with HMO’s Chief Legal Counsel was strained.

Worked with Nevada Division of Insurance, which had joint responsibility for HMO Certificate of Authority for geographic expansions, and the assigned State Deputy Attorney General to expedite amendment approval process. Repaired and strengthened working relationship with HMO's Chief Legal Counsel who was in charge of gaining the amendment approval.

HMO’s Certificate of Authority was amended in time for plan to enroll new employee members and offer services in accordance with state contract. HMO's Chief Legal Counsel verbally commended personal efforts to Bureau Chief, and stated assistance and follow-through helped to make process more user-friendly, something unusual for state government.

Company was in the process of implementing ISO-9001 and proceeding through initial certification process. ISO-9001 certification was necessary for future Department of Defense and NASA contract awards.

The consultant hired to lead the company through the accreditation process took unexpected vacation three days prior to the accreditation site visit, leaving a full one-third of the required policies and procedures incomplete.

Assisted Quality staff in completion of policies and procedures as well as site visit at the request of direct supervisor and company's Quality Director, and in addition to regular job responsibilities.

All requirements for accreditation site visit completed on time, and site visit did not have to be rescheduled. Company successfully received accreditation without anticipated additional site visit. Designated as internal ISO-9001 auditor by executive management, particularly for areas and processes that impacted intellectual property. Assigned as a member of the Quality System Management Review team. Rewarded with cash bonus for personal assistance, team spirit, and “can-do” attitude, and was personally included in strategic planning of operations for the following two years.

Obtaining patient data in a timely and accurate manner was an ongoing problem that resulted in patient dissatisfaction, food waste, and risk management issues, if patients received the wrong meals. Nursing staff behavior and poor physician handwriting were beyond the control or influence of the department.

Initiated and participated in development and implementation of computer program that transmitted patient data in accurate, usable form and in timely manner.

Patient satisfaction improved and annual savings were realized. Program facilitated better communication between the nursing staff and the department, enhancing relations between the two.

Patient food shortages/overages and department understaffing/overstaffing on weekends had been an ongoing problem. Department had no experience performing statistical analysis of patient operations data.

Reviewed idle-patient day's data that department tracked and applied basic statistical analysis. Noted emerging trend and brought information to the attention of department director. Implemented six-week pilot program to validate that for department weekend was actually Sunday and Monday, not typical Saturday and Sunday.

Efficient use of labor resources and revised food purchasing resolved ongoing problems and soft dollar savings noted with estimated overall annual savings of $40K. Patient satisfaction increased. After sharing findings with area administrator, a related department completed similar pilot study with the same results. After reallocating resources accordingly, soft dollar savings and increased patient satisfaction were also realized from that department.

Broadcast Operations Center of Palomar College (San Marcos, CA), decided to apply for a state grant to establish base for television / video-based distance learning. Grant application required marketing plan, something staff had no experience in writing.

Authored marketing plan for Palomar College’s $8.5M California Community Colleges Satellite Network (CCCSAT) Broadcast Center grant proposal. Marketing plan included a three-tiered fee structure based upon enrollment numbers of potential, participating colleges in the system.

Palomar College awarded the grant, and the marketing plan cited as the second of three reasons for grant award.

Physicians were leery about ordering nutrition consultations for patients because fee perceived as too expensive. Each consultation was the same price and did not take into account the actual cost or time involved.

Proposed, gained approval for, and implemented two-tiered fee system that was well received by physicians.

Increased combined inpatient and outpatient revenues by 300% within one year. Taking patient’s prior knowledge and/or potential level of compliance into account and pricing services accordingly were key to persuading physicians to order consultations on a routine basis.

Food Service Supervisor certificate students from Long Beach City College were having difficulty during internships in hospitals citywide. Bureaucracy of the California Community Colleges system made it difficult to update or change course content in response to industry requirements.

Designed, conducted, analyzed, and reported on market research survey that identified key program deficiencies, on behalf of the Dietetic Technicians Program Advisory Committee, which oversaw Food Service Supervisor certificate program.

Successfully recommended curriculum changes that better met industry needs and which were implemented one year later.

First annual briefings to industry publications were considered successful; however, a means to measure effectiveness and justify future editor tours was necessary. The ROI measurement had to be easily understood by, and acceptable to, executive management and the Board of Directors.

Compared editorial coverage of company generated by the editorial briefings within 120 days to the same amount of ad space that would have had to be procured for the same coverage.

ROI of 100% noted within the first 90 days after briefings, and an additional 50% ROI realized in 90-120 days following that initial ROI period.

"Lynn arranged an interview with an editor from the EE Times. I was impressed with her handling of the whole thing, including the depth of her technical knowledge of our product line and R&D activities. Further, when required, she articulated these well to the editor, even to my own experienced ears." - Jack Arnold, MSEE, (Former) Director of High Density Electronics, Irvine Sensors Corporation, Costa Mesa, CA

"Lynn set up an interview for John Carson with the editor of Diagnostic Imaging, which I participated in. As Irvine Sensors’ first foray into a medical publication, the interview was critical. Lynn had provided excellent background on the company, potential applications of ISC technology, and background on John, so that the editor could spend his time and John’s wisely. As a public relations professional for more than 17 years and a magazine editor for more than 6 years, I know how important this kind of preparation is. It can make the difference as to whether or not a company gets magazine coverage at all and can contribute to the quality and frequency of that coverage.” - Ilene Schneider, PR consultant, Irvine, CA

Click here to view brochure.

Attendance at annual meeting of stockholders was never more than 75. Company's technologies were difficult to explain to non-technical investors, and increased proliferation of the Internet was causing misunderstanding and confusion about company and products. Company had little corporate marketing experience other than marketing stock.

Beginning with the 1998 meeting, added trade show-styled demonstrations to the meeting. Stockholders could visit demonstrations prior to formal meeting. Feedback was positive, as was viral marketing. Increased numbers of demonstrations added in three subsequent years and attendance increased accordingly.

Increased attendance at Irvine Sensors Corporation Annual Meeting of Stockholders by an average of 50% for three consecutive years (1999-2001). During the 2001 meeting, received applause from shareholders in attendance for shareholder communication efforts.

"Lynn O’Mara, Corporate Manager of Communications, has been a tremendous asset in the face of short term adversity. Her honesty, candor, and overall knowledge of the potential of all Irvine Sensors technology in the market place has been a breath of fresh air." - Michael H. Lewis, Sr., Investment Vice President, J.C. Bradford & Co. (now part of UBS PaineWebber), Baton Rouge, LA

Click here to view paper.

Company was in financial downturn and near bankruptcy. Business reporter for The Orange County Register contacted the company for a statement. Company's turnaround plan had not been finalized, and executive management was hesitant to go public about mistakes that led to financial problems.

Persuaded CEO and CFO to accept the offered phone interview with the reporter, to be open and honest, to discuss financial missteps in straightforward manner, and to provide a general overview of steps necessary to realize corporate turnaround.

Newspaper published a balanced article about financial woes of company, including plans to resolve financial issues. Two years later, when the company was financially healthy and stock was one of the best local performers, Business section profiled company on the front page, including photo of CEO and CFO.

"I appreciate the commitment to the brokerage community that Lynn O’Mara demonstrates on a daily basis. I speak with hundreds of companies in a year, and I have yet to be impressed as fully as I am with Lynn. She is always professional, buttoned-up, concise and objective without any of the hype that occasionally manifests itself with other company’s investor relations contacts. During periods when a company’s stock is under pressure, it’s easy for a broker to get somewhat anxious. But having Lynn on your team makes it so much easier for me to walk my clients through the reasons why we’re involved." - David Asher, Investment Broker, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Atlanta, GA

Company increasingly asked by federal agencies, potential vendors, possible customers, media, stockbrokers, and investors to submit summary of corporate capabilities and an annual report, to accompany RFP responses, purchase orders, media kits, and investor packages. Company had limited financial resources to produce high-quality versions of both publications.

Proposed and gained approval for combining information into company's 2000 annual report, with corporate capabilities bookending 10K information.

Assumed complete project responsibility, staying within budget and completing project two days ahead of schedule. Four-color hard copies were produced and an electronic version was made available on company's website. Publication received positive reviews from all target audiences, for both content and creativity.

Click here to view annual report.

Irvine Sensors had outgrown its telecommunications system, and a new system had to accommodate both growth and changing technology requirements.

Led successful selection, installation, and implementation of company's new telecommunications system, which defied CEO's predictions of excessive downtime and exceeding budget.

Total downtime was limited to two hours total, and project did not exceed budget. Careful planning and employee training were keys to a successful system implementation.

"Irvine Sensors recently installed a new Nortel Option 11 telephone system. For a period of approximately four months, I had the pleasure of working with Lynn O’Mara, both during the initial evaluation and during the implementation of the selected system. I found Lynn to be extremely thorough and professional in her needs' analysis, her development of an RFP, in her negotiations with vendors, and in her ability to organize and smoothly transition the company through a generally difficult project. Truth be known, I had a hard time keeping up. When one considers she did this in addition to her regular job duties, Marketing Communications, one begins to understand Lynn’s abilities, her potential and her value to Irvine Sensors." - Christopher Pinckney, (Former) Director, Information Services, Irvine Sensors Corporation, Costa Mesa, CA