David Robinson, ’10, holds an NAACP Image Award he earned for his
work with The Clark Sisters.
Photo Credit:
courtesy photo
A 2010 Grand Valley graduate earned an NAACP Image Award for his work
promoting an album by Detroit gospel group The Clark Sisters.
David Robinson, who earned a bachelor's degree in advertising/public
relations, is the owner of The David Brand, an Atlanta-based marketing
and public relations firm. The Clark Sisters, one of Robinson's
clients, earned an NAACP Image Award for their album "The Return."
"It’s truly hard to put into words what that moment meant to
me," Robinson said. "It means that dreams do come true."
Robinson was first a vocal performance major when he arrived on Grand
Valley's campus in 2005. While he changed his major, he continued to
take private lessons from music faculty members and performed in a
number of musicals and choirs, including the Voices of GVSU, a gospel
choir led by Cassonya Carter, senior academic advisor for KCON.
After graduation, Robinson moved to Chicago for a direct marketing
job with a national firm. The job paid on commissions only, which
Robinson said led to many lessons.
"I was working on 100 percent commission, but learned to stick
with it and soon learned how to maximize my territory," he said.
Robinson progressed quickly through the company and soon was asked to
move to Houston, Texas, where he oversaw a staff of 15. Another move
to Baltimore had Robinson working with a staff of 30.
"They asked me to move again and I said no. I took a leap of
faith and moved to Atlanta," he said.
He stayed with a friend in an Atlanta suburb and soon found a job
selling cars. In 2014, Robinson volunteered to help with a movie
premiere and found he quite liked the atmosphere. He networked with
people who worked in entertainment and, a year later, started his own
firm: The David Brand.
Robinson now works with a number of celebrities, providing brand and
talent development and public relation services. The Clark Sisters was
the first group he booked on national television, landing the singers
on Jimmy Kimmel, Good Morning America and The Real.
"I am so grateful for my Grand Valley education. I learned the
basics of public relations and how to apply theory to real-world
applications. When I look at where I came from and where I am now,
it's a great victory," he said.
The nursing faculty member serves as director of the City on a Hill Health Clinic in Zeeland, which serves uninsured residents of Ottawa and Allegan counties.