Thomas E. Banker

Thomas E. Banker graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 1969 with a BA degree in English Literature and Dramatic Arts. He was then commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy as an AVROC (Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate) and traveled to the Pensacola, Florida Naval Air Station to train as a Navy aviator.

After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, he returned to Santa Barbara, California and embarked on a 6-year world-girdling voyage on the world-famous yacht, Sirocco, with his Kappa Sigma Fraternity brothers from UCSB.

While on his world travels, in 1972 he started his career in colored gemstones, traveling throughout Southeast Asia, Africa and Brasil on the Sirocco. During this 6-year circumnavigation he spent much of his time working with, learning about and pursuing business opportunities in all aspects of colored gemstones; including mining, cutting, sales and marketing.

In 1976 he and a Sirocco associate founded Natural Arts, a general partnership registered in the state of California, for the purpose of trading and marketing colored gemstones. Natural Arts became well known in the American market as a supplier and merchandiser of high quality gem material. With Natural Arts Banker lived for six years in Brasil and became fluent in the Portuguese language.

In addition to purchasing, marketing and merchandising gemstones, Mr. Banker was extremely active writing for international gemstone and jewelry trade magazines and was frequently interviewed and quoted by international publications concerning the state of the jewelry market, new trends and various technical and supply issues relating to natural colored gemstones.

He was a Charter Member of both the American Gemstone Trade Association (AGTA) and the International Colored Stone Association (ICA). In both those associations Banker worked with the Public Relations Committee, and was Chairman of those PR Committees at different times.

Since 1985, when he moved to Bangkok, Thailand, Banker greatly expanded his range of copywriting interests to include advertising, public relations, international marketing letters and newsletters, as well as website content for a number of American and International associations. He also expanded his magazine-article reparatory to include international travel and Kingdom of Thailand magazines.

Banker has studied various types of commercial and business writing courses to expand his journalism and copywriting activities including business advertising, public relations and marketing, as listed below.

He is currently working on a non-fiction book about his global adventures on the Sirocco.

MILITARY & EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

---Graduated, B.A. Degree (English Literature & Dramatic Arts); 1968, University of California, Santa Barbara.

---Ensign, U.S. Navy; Honorable Discharge, 1971

WRITING EDUCATION:

1. Writers Digest Correspondence Courses in:

---Journalism

---Public Relations

---Press Releases

---Newsletters

---Fundraising

---Telemarketing Scripts

---Speechwriting

---Technical Writing

2. AWAI (American Writers & Artists Institute) Correspondence Courses in Michael Masterson’s Master Course in:

---Marketing Letters

---Public Relations

---Promotion / Marketing

---Branding

3. SiteBuiltIt.com Correspondence Courses in:

---Affiliate Masters Course for Website Content.

---High-Perceived-Value Content for eZines

INTERNET TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE:

---Adobe PhotoShop

---Adobe Illustrator

ASSOCIATIONS:

---American Gemstone Trade Association (400+ members) - Charter Member; 11 years on Board of Directors

---3 years on Ethics & Grievance Committee

---3 years on Public Relations Committee

---1 year Chairman of Public Relations Committee

---2 years member of Board of Governors, AGTA Testing Laboratory

---International Colored-Stone Association (400+ members) - Charter Member; 2 years on Public Relations Committee; 1 year Chairman of Public Relations Committee

---Writers Online since 1987

---American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI) since 1998

---American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand

---British Club, Bangkok, THAILAND

---Planetary Gemologists Association: Founder-Member

---Asian Institute of Gemological Science, Bangkok, THAILAND: 1996-1998, Chairman of the Board of Governors

---American Writers & Artists Institute

---Rotary Club International, Bangkok South since 1997