Gary McCoy, executive director of the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI), has announced the hiring of Phil Sasso as managing editor of Springs and Gabriela “Gaby” Carrasco as the association’s new communications and administrative coordinator.
Sasso has more than 25 years of experience in marketing communications and journalism with a strong background in the automotive aftermarket. He was a contributing editor for Professional Distributor, writing a sales and marketing column for 12 years. He has also been a contributor to Restyling, Performance Business and Service Station and Garage Management magazines.
“I have known Phil for many years through our mutual work in the automotive aftermarket and I have come to respect his hard work and dedication to his craft,” said McCoy. “He is a technical marketing specialist with a strong background in journalism that will be an important addition as I hand off the editorial management of the magazine to him.”
As president of Sasso Marketing, his firm develops advertising, public relations and promotional campaigns primarily for professional service providers and tool and equipment manufacturers. Sasso also serves as social media manager for several associations. He has presented marketing seminars for organizations including the Small Business Development Center and the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Sasso holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism with a minor in communications studies from Northern Illinois University. He is former adjunct faculty for the School of Continuing Education and interim director of the Weekend College at Triton College. During the pandemic, Triton asked him back to develop a marketing curriculum for their proposed Entrepreneur Institute.
In her new role with SMI, Carrasco will help support various aspects of the association’s communications and administrative functions, including social media, to help boost member recruitment, engagement and retention. She will provide support for SMI programs, member communications and associated administrative office needs.
Carrasco graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in communications with majors in television production and Spanish and a minor in creative writing.
“Gaby brings a younger perspective to her work with a strong background in communications, especially in the areas of social media management, website development and copywriting,” said McCoy. “In addition, her recent work in an administrative role presented me with an ideal candidate who can handle a variety of tasks.”
Carrasco’s career started as an account executive for Franchise Elevator PR, where she served as a liaison between franchise clients and media. Her work also included the preparation and distribution of news releases for use in pitching traditional print, TV, online and influencer media.
From 2019 to 2022, she was a communications specialist for the Village of Villa Park, Illinois. Carrasco managed the design and layout for various written publications, including e-newsletters, news releases, a quarterly print newsletter and the village’s website. In addition, she established Villa Park’s presence on multiple social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. In addition, she coordinated publicity for special events as well as developing PR materials and other outreach efforts.
Most recently she has worked in a part-time role as an administrative assistant for D&G Hauling.
