Linda O'Brien, Chief Operating Officer

Linda O’Brien, Chief Operating Officer of The Market Share Company, came to Key West in 1978 and is a very active member of Monroe County’s professional community. Since founding the firm in 1989, she has applied her marketing and public relations skills to develop successful communications strategies and campaigns for many businesses and organizations in the community. Her projects with the company require working closely with various State, County, and City agencies, with the County and City Managers, as well as leaders from the private sector.

O’Brien enjoys an excellent working relationship with the media including the Key West Citizen, Island News, Solares Hill, the Free Press, and the Keynoter as well as the local television and radio stations.

Actively involved in the Key West Chamber of Commerce, she served on the Board of Directors as vice president for two years and as an executive committee member for seven years. In 1990, she received the Chamber’s Athena Award for outstanding businesswoman and in 1994 she attained the Margo Golan Community Service Award from The Lodging Association. O’Brien is also a member of the Islamorada, Marathon, and Lower Keys Chambers.

She also served on the Key West Hotel & Motel Association Board of Directors from 1990 to 1996 and again in 2000. A former chair of the advertising and trade show committee for the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, she also sat on the Key West Attractions Association Board of Directors from 1989 to 1993 and has been included in Who’s Who in American Business 1999-2000.

Alexis Hansen, Director of Operations and Fantasy Fest Parade Coordinator

Having lived in Key West nearly all her life, Alexis Hansen considers the Market Share Company a perfect fit! As Director of Operations, Hansen oversees the day-to-day business of the company. Hansen also works closely with the rest of the Market Share team to develop marketing plans and proposals for clients.

During her time at Market Share she has worked on many different projects including assisting with the coordination of the Captain Morgan Fantasy Fest® Parade, working in sales for Fantasy Fest® sponsors, assisting in the accounting department, and working closely with the Directors of Super Boat International Productions to produce their Annual World Championship Race.

Hansen also works closely with the Assistant Director of Fantasy Fest to produce Fantasy Fest®, the largest annual festival in Key West, and has now added another title to her resume, Parade Coordinator. As Parade Coordinator, Hansen is responsible for overseeing and planning the logistics of the annual Captain Morgan Fantasy Fest® Parade. This includes organizing 60+ parade entries, coordinating and training over 100 parade volunteers and working closely with City Officials including the City Manager and members of law enforcement to make sure the parade is always in compliance with City regulations.

Prior to joining Market Share, Hansen’s resume included teaching at a local school in Newport News, Virginia and worked as the Vera Bradley Specialist for a retail store. As the Vera Bradley specialist, she was responsible for organizing the store so that it followed the strict guidelines put in place by the Vera Bradley brand. Her tasks also included buying products based on customer demand analysis and updating all the marketing materials quarterly or as needed depending on new styles and trends.

Hansen obtained her Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago. While attending Loyola Hansen had the opportunity to work on a number of marketing plans for various companies including ZipCar, Honda Motor Company and Google. Faculty and staff of Loyola’s marketing department supervised all projects but plans were submitted to the companies for review and the clients ultimately utilized many ideas.

Liane Caruso, Senior Account Manager

A resident of the Florida Keys for approximately eight years, Liane Caruso serves The Market Share Company as a Senior Account Executive. As such, she has worked extensively with most of the company’s public relations and marketing clients. Her project-related experiences include, but are not limited to, the Florida Department of Transportation; Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center Sea Star Campaign; National Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Tourist Development Association; Super Boat International; Fantasy Fest® Key West and ChickenFest™ Key West, the Lodging Association Rack Card Program and various contributions to The Key West Journal. She has written several grants on behalf of the Key West Tourist Development Association to apply for funding for Key West’s largest festival, Fantasy Fest®

Her relevant work experience includes a variety of public relations and marketing communications service capacities. As Account Executive for a full-service national public information and public relations firm, she was responsible for public relations strategies, community outreach initiatives and developing crisis communications plans for her clients. Her duties also have included corporate communications and marketing, business development and proposal writing for local, statewide and national RFPs and RFQs.

As Public Information Officer for an array of projects with the Florida Department of Transportation, her primary duty was to serve as the liaison between the client, the media, and the public. Caruso has handled all planning and organization for area media briefings; created community awareness plans; coordinated public meetings, agency and community working group meetings; and worked with various forms of media outlets by establishing strong media relationships, sending press releases, complying with media requests and identifying with the needs of the community.

Caruso has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the Florida State University. She has received training in Public Involvement in Transportation Decision Making from the National Transit Institute, Media Training, and is co-author of “Keys To Paradise, A Guide to the Florida Keys”, a USA Book News Finalist, Travel Category.

Pegi Fitton, Assistant Director of Fantasy Fest

Pegi Fitton recently joined Market Share Company as the Assistant Director of Fantasy Fest. Fitton previously lived in Key West and is thrilled to once again call the Conch Republic home. Since moving to Key West, Pegi has become actively involved with the Florida Keys SPCA and Habitat for Humanity. With her BS degree in marketing from the University of Georgia and a masters degree from NovaSoutheastern, Market Share is extremely pleased to include Pegi as a member of their professional team. Pegi will be working with all aspects of the Fantasy Fest celebration as well as other Market Share Company clients.