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About Us

The Skoogman Group

Andy Skoogman - about us mobile

Who We Are

Meet Andy Skoogman

Decades in Strategic Communications

Andy’s communications background is diverse and extensive. His career encompasses roles as a C-Suite coach, military, law enforcement and sales trainer/facilitator, Emmy award winning broadcast news and sports journalist, on-camera media spokesperson, public relations and marketing consultant, multi-media content producer and outsourced executive director. 

Andy has trained CEOs, military Generals, physicians, politicians and educators for national media and public speaking appearances. He’s testified before government bodies.  He’s guided non-profit organizations through the strategic planning and rebranding process.  He’s developed communications plans and strategies to raise awareness of products, programs and initiatives. He’s written and produced compelling videos, podcasts and blogs. And he’s managed the media and stakeholder communications for schools and government agencies during many high-profile crisis communications situations, 

Clients and colleagues will tell you that Andy works with humility, curiosity and candor, the core values of The Skoogman Group.  He’s not afraid to admit what he doesn’t  know, yet is curious enough to ask a million questions. Andy’s made a career out of being a quick study and believes you must be candid to be an effective trainer and coach. His personality and demeanor helps him connect and quickly build trust with people of varying backgrounds as he’s had success working across multiple sectors and professions. Case in point: Andy’s helped highly confident, three star military generals, introverted neurologists and inexperienced software engineers improve their communications skills. 

He can help you and organization, too. Contact him today info@theskoogmangroup.com or 651-485-7667.

 

andy skoogman

Our Team

We partner with some of the smartest and most talented communications professionals to meet your needs.

Our Mission

To help our clients develop and execute compelling communication strategies that make a sound and lasting impact.

Our Approach

We work on your terms and timeline but aren’t afraid to be candid when its in the best interest of the client. 

Current and past Clients

Interview Preparation
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Executive Coaching
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Public Speaking

If you’re in the spotlight, we’ll help you shine.

Testimonials

Real results from Success Stories

Our client list spans a wide range of industries and solutions. Call 651-485-7667 to see if The Skoogman Group can assist you.

Todd Axtell
Andy provided exceptional communication services to the Saint Paul Police Department. As Communication Director, he was proactive in ensuring our Department's message was clear — both externally and internally. Andy provided unique perspective based on his diverse experience in media and communictions.
Todd Axtell
Chief of the Saint Paul Police (ret.)
☆☆☆☆☆
Andy provided exceptional communication services to the Saint Paul Police Department. As Communication Director, he was proactive in ensuring our Department's message was clear — both externally and internally. Andy provided unique perspective based on his diverse experience in media and communictions.
Todd Axtell
Todd Axtell
Chief of the Saint Paul Police (ret.)
Michelle Knoll
I have had the privilege of working with Andy in both the news and media relations arenas. His knack for asking the right questions, building and maintaining relationships, his sound news judgement and his ability to break down complicated issues and make them relatable to a specific audience makes him exceptional in both fields. As a producer, I always knew that Andy was not only going to find great stories, but deliver on them. That experience and knowledge has given him an ...
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Michelle Knoll
Knoll Communications
☆☆☆☆☆
I have had the privilege of working with Andy in both the news and media relations arenas. His knack for asking the right questions, building and maintaining relationships, his sound news judgement and his ability to break down complicated issues and make them relatable to a specific audience makes him exceptional in both fields. As a producer, I always knew that Andy was not only going to find great stories, but deliver on them. That experience and knowledge has given him an enormous advantage in media relations. He understands what producers, reporters and editors are looking for. He understands how to deliver a story with all the elements in a well-crafted, concise press release. He has maintained contacts in the field and knows when and who to pitch a story to while being respectful of deadlines. His experience in the field covering sometimes tricky and touchy subject makes him an excellent media trainer. I would highly recommend Andy to anyone looking to deliver a strong, relevant and newsworthy message.
Michelle Knoll
Michelle Knoll
Knoll Communications
Lt. Rob Johnston
Andy provided excellent training to the EPPD Command Staff and PIO group. He uses real-life scenarios to provide relevant training in a comfortable classroom setting. His experience and knowledge with law enforcement media relations emphasizes the importance of building relationships with our media partners and has prepared our team to confidently deliver key messages.
Lt. Rob Johnston
Eden Prairie Police Department
☆☆☆☆☆
Andy provided excellent training to the EPPD Command Staff and PIO group. He uses real-life scenarios to provide relevant training in a comfortable classroom setting. His experience and knowledge with law enforcement media relations emphasizes the importance of building relationships with our media partners and has prepared our team to confidently deliver key messages.
Lt. Rob Johnston
Lt. Rob Johnston
Eden Prairie Police Department
Brad Wentlandt
Andy provides an outstanding media relations training program! He creates a positive and upbeat classroom sharing his extensive real world knowledge and experience as a reporter and law enforcement public information officer.
Chief (ret) Brad Wentlandt
Director - Wisconsin Command College
☆☆☆☆☆
Andy provides an outstanding media relations training program! He creates a positive and upbeat classroom sharing his extensive real world knowledge and experience as a reporter and law enforcement public information officer.
Brad Wentlandt
Chief (ret) Brad Wentlandt
Director - Wisconsin Command College
Drew Evans
Andy is the consummate media relations professional. During his tenure as the Chief Information Officer for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety he provided guidance and oversight of all of our media relations activities. We could always count on him to provide excellent advice to ensure we conveyed our organizational messages to best serve the citizens of this state. In crisis situations, his guidance ensured we operated as a transparent organization that the public could trust. His advice was always sound, timely, ...
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Drew Evans
Superintendent at Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
☆☆☆☆☆
Andy is the consummate media relations professional. During his tenure as the Chief Information Officer for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety he provided guidance and oversight of all of our media relations activities. We could always count on him to provide excellent advice to ensure we conveyed our organizational messages to best serve the citizens of this state. In crisis situations, his guidance ensured we operated as a transparent organization that the public could trust. His advice was always sound, timely, and ensured the best interests of the organization were always being met. While he projecting a philosophy of organizational transparency, he worked to ensure the organization had integrity in all media relations throughout the state and nationally. He regularly provided guidance and insight to outside organizations in the best interests of public safety for the state of Minnesota through consultation with these agencies. In addition, Andy has an excellent public safety training regimen that instills skills and abilities that make public information officers and executives confident in their abilities to create effective media relations. He is a dynamic speaker who engages the audience with thought provoking materials that provide the framework to grow your media relations skills as a public safety professional.
Drew Evans
Drew Evans
Superintendent at Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Matthew Langer
Andy is an expert when it comes to media relations during crisis management. He has an excellent base of knowledge to assist with day to day relationships with the media, including the development of proactive stories allowing an organization to deliver messages aimed at educating the public.
Matthew Langer
Colonel - Chief of Minnesota State Patrol
☆☆☆☆☆
Andy is an expert when it comes to media relations during crisis management. He has an excellent base of knowledge to assist with day to day relationships with the media, including the development of proactive stories allowing an organization to deliver messages aimed at educating the public.
Matthew Langer
Matthew Langer
Colonel - Chief of Minnesota State Patrol
Lenny Austin
I wanted to follow up and thank you for the recent training that you conducted with our police first-line supervisors, command staff, fire department, and city communications staff. The training you provided, and the real-world scenarios were incredibly helpful for us in strategically preparing for dealing with the media. The on-camera scenarios were excellent, and everyone walked away with a better understanding of what to expect when dealing with the media in crisis situations. Your background in journalism and public safety added ...
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Lenny Austin
Columbia Heights Chief of Police
☆☆☆☆☆
I wanted to follow up and thank you for the recent training that you conducted with our police first-line supervisors, command staff, fire department, and city communications staff. The training you provided, and the real-world scenarios were incredibly helpful for us in strategically preparing for dealing with the media. The on-camera scenarios were excellent, and everyone walked away with a better understanding of what to expect when dealing with the media in crisis situations. Your background in journalism and public safety added to this training in ways that other trainings fall short. Law enforcement must do a better job working in partnership with the media in order to increase transparency with our community and maintain public trust. This training helped our command staff better understand the importance of building relationships with members of the media and providing tips for doing just that.
Lenny Austin
Lenny Austin
Columbia Heights Chief of Police
Eric Hauth
I've had the opportunity to work closely with Andy on three separate, high profile leadership training programs. In all three cases, I hired Andy's company to provide communications and public relations training for three diverse audiences (neurologists, interventional pain physicians and education policy advocates). In each case, Andy delivered exceptional service and a training experience that participants valued and ranked very highly on post-training surveys. Andy brings to each training real intellectual curiosity about the clients' needs and a disarming presence in ...
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Eric Hauth
International Concrete Repair Institute
☆☆☆☆☆
I've had the opportunity to work closely with Andy on three separate, high profile leadership training programs. In all three cases, I hired Andy's company to provide communications and public relations training for three diverse audiences (neurologists, interventional pain physicians and education policy advocates). In each case, Andy delivered exceptional service and a training experience that participants valued and ranked very highly on post-training surveys. Andy brings to each training real intellectual curiosity about the clients' needs and a disarming presence in the training that puts nervous trainees at ease. I highly recommend Andy and his company for corporate or non profit strategic communications training.
Eric Hauth
Eric Hauth
International Concrete Repair Institute
Mariah Kannenberg
Andy is a an approachable leader who is always available to his staff — even when his schedule is full. As my supervisor, he could be counted on for providing sound advice and mentorship. The confidence and trust he instilled in my professionalism helped me to progress more quickly in projects and my career. Anyone who has the privilege of working for Andy will find the same.
Mariah Kannenberg
☆☆☆☆☆
Andy is a an approachable leader who is always available to his staff — even when his schedule is full. As my supervisor, he could be counted on for providing sound advice and mentorship. The confidence and trust he instilled in my professionalism helped me to progress more quickly in projects and my career. Anyone who has the privilege of working for Andy will find the same.
Mariah Kannenberg
Mariah Kannenberg
Michael Reynolds
I have had the opportunity and privilege to be one of Andy Skoogman’s students in his law enforcement training program concerning media relations. His professional, and attention to detail style of teaching, greatly prepared me to become the PIO of a very active law enforcement agency in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. I have since become the Chief of Police for another law enforcement agency and have hired Andy’s services to teach my entire command staff on...
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Michael Reynolds
Corporate Security Executive
☆☆☆☆☆
I have had the opportunity and privilege to be one of Andy Skoogman’s students in his law enforcement training program concerning media relations. His professional, and attention to detail style of teaching, greatly prepared me to become the PIO of a very active law enforcement agency in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. I have since become the Chief of Police for another law enforcement agency and have hired Andy’s services to teach my entire command staff on media relations. Having been through many other media relation courses in the past, I have not found another program that matches the ‘real world’ media relations that Andy’s training program teaches for law enforcement. I would highly recommend Andy Skoogman’s training program to any law enforcement agency seeking to train their staff to have the most positive and professional reflection of their department in their community!
Michael Reynolds
Michael Reynolds
Corporate Security Executive