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- Written by Jason J. Tabor Jason J. Tabor
“Embrace your age! Nobody wants to talk about how old they are, but I love talking about it,” laughs Soni Dimond on a recent phone conversation discussing her life, her passions, and her whirlwind career.
She recently celebrated her 62nd birthday and took the time to reflect on an inspiring career trajectory that has included stints in television, public relations, book authorship, executive training, and modeling and most recently landed her a job as a producer on WHTM 27’s Good Day PA show.
A central Pennsylvania native, Dimond has lived in various places around the country but has called this region home for close to 25 years with her husband, Kevin Martorana, a video production company owner.
She recalls herself as an outgoing, energetic majorette during her high school years, more interested in the arts than science, and heavily involved in the school theater when she enrolled at Gettysburg College to study English.
Dimond’s affinity for the growing field of media studies led to a college internship at local television station WTPA 27 (now ABC affiliate WHTM), which would then lead to her becoming one of the first female TV anchors in the area.
“It was an amazing experience! Here I was going to college full-time, getting paid to be on-air as a weekend anchor, running back and forth between the station and campus … I’m not sure when I found time to sleep,” she remembers.
Her experiences as an intern opened doors to an industry that had previously been dominated by men.
“I really fell in love with TV during my internship, and I learned a lesson that I try to impart to people to this day: When you have a passion for something, you can really become unstoppable,” she says.
For six years, Dimond worked in local television full-time, first at WHTM in Harrisburg and then at WGAL 8 in Lancaster, where she was a morning anchor, talk show host, and assignment reporter.
After establishing herself as a popular and respected local personality on TV, Dimond was approached by representatives in Harrisburg to oversee public relations and media for the newly created Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.
She spent two years working for the state government before becoming a producer for Commonwealth Media Service, working on video promotional content for various government agencies and providing public speaking coaching for top government officials.
She would then move to Washington, D.C., where she worked as a public affairs specialist for the labor union AFSCME, doing public relations, television, and radio ads on the national stage.
In 1995, Dimond started a new chapter in her life when she married her longtime friend and partner, Kevin Martorana. The couple returned to central Pennsylvania, where Dimond served as the manager of media relations for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the largest business organization in Pennsylvania.
In 2003, Dimond formed her own media coaching, public relations, and marketing company called Soni Dimond Multifaceted. She counts among some of her local high-profile clients former Jeopardy! champion Brad Rutter and High Companies chairman and philanthropist S. Dale High.
She has authored two books in her Life’s a Pitch series about marketing and PR; earned multiple professional awards, including Best 50 Women in Business in Pennsylvania; and served as a board member of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
“One of my favorite things about this business is it gives me the chance to help people and watch them develop, grow, and reach their full potential,” she says.
“I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned since starting my own company is realizing it’s very tough for one person to do everything or to even try to be an expert in every aspect of modern business. We can learn so much from younger people, especially about technology, social media, and the internet!
“We’re always taught to respect our elders, but I have also come to respect the younger generations … I love being around them, their energy, and their willingness to share. It’s OK to put younger people in the driver’s seat and let them lead.”
Dimond recently entered the world of “mature modeling,” a growing industry that connects with the baby boom generation’s interest in physical, mental, and emotional health as they age into a new era of their lives.
“Of course my friends all thought I was crazy, but I was given opportunities to do some modeling for some local boutiques, which I did for free, but one thing led to another, and now I have professional representation from the Reinhard Agency,” she laughs.
“I always wanted to be a model, and again, one of the lessons I learned when I was younger that I always took to heart: Always be ready for life’s opportunities and be prepared to accept them.”
One such opportunity recently presented itself, and Dimond jumped at the chance. Her most recent position at WHTM abc27 signifies a 40-year career looping back to where it originally started: on local TV.
As a writer and producer on Good Day PA, Dimond divides her time between scouting shooting locations, interviewing guests in studio and on location, and post-production work.
Dimond’s jam-packed schedule keeps her calendar filled well into the future.
“I don’t really have a ‘typical’ day, which is a blessing for someone with my personality,” she says.
She might find herself negotiating with or for her clients; recording video segments and conducting interviews; judging events, such as the Miss Pennsylvania pageant; doing guest speaking appearances; and continuing advisory work.
In her limited free time, she enjoys doing volunteer work, keeping up on trends in art and fashion, and finding ways to exercise and stay healthy.
Dimond credits her longevity with never taking herself too seriously and embracing the unique experiences in her life that have allowed her to continuously evolve and redefine herself and her career.
“I think it’s common for people over 50 to feel it’s time to manage their expectations about what life has to offer. I’ve always wondered why we do that. Why not raise our expectations as we become older? So that’s what I’ve chosen to do, and I hope to energize and inspire others to find their passions along the way!”