Mayor accepts new marketing position

The Red Oak Mayor recently accepted a new position as the Director of Business Development and Marketing at Shenandoah Medical Center (SMC), which he said will in no way affect his role as mayor.

Beginning Dec. 31, Bill Billings will be designing marketing materials and working to promote SMC. Despite this full time commitment, he will continue regular hours during the morning at the Red Oak City Hall.

Billings, who also works for KCSI radio, will still host weekend shows but will no longer do any during the week.

“I will continue to promote the growth of the City of Red Oak as well as I always have,” Billings said. “It’s been a goal of mine since my son-in-law (Jamie Skalberg) passed away to find a job closer to home to meet my skills as a professional marketing executive. So, when this position became available, I applied.”

Billings currently is a co-owner of New Line Sales, a marketing company with national clients such as Sketchers and Crocs, which he plans to sell.

Working for New Line required him to travel a lot. So he said this new role will allow him to spend more time at home with his family and working for the City.

“I will not back off my regular plans for the City of Red Oak,” he said. “My thoughts toward and passion for Red Oak hasn’t changed.”

Billings added because SMC is a privately owned company, unlike Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, his new position will not be in competition with anything in Red Oak.

“My job is to promote Shenandoah Medical Center and not the City of Shenandoah in the process.”

While working for KCSI, Billings said he promoted not only MCMH but also other area hospitals including Clarinda, none of which he said interfered with his role as mayor.

Billings compared this position to that of Gregg Connell who works in economic development for both Shenandoah and Red Oak without conflict.

“I’m sure there are some nay-sayers,” Billings said. “I think within a year, though, they’ll see my duty as mayor will not falter.”

While Billings did not say officially if he would be running for re-election during 2014, he said his plan as mayor hasn’t changed and it will be up to the people to decide if he continues to serve.