I contribute to Wikipedia relatively equally in both a volunteer and a marketing (COI) role. I've helped create Template:COI editnotice, WP:COIMICRO and What Wikipedia is Not (Organizations). Someday I hope an editor with technical skills will make my COI submissions wizard a thing. In my view marketing professionals and paid editors that covertly edit Wikipedia in order to promote their employer or client are violating the Federal Trade Commission's astroturfing laws, which require that those with a financial connection disclose it online in order to avoid confusing them with crowd-sourced participants.
I spend a lot of time cleaning up poorly-sourced promotion or criticisms on company or BLP pages. I sometimes contribute to AfC, ANI, RSN, BLPN, RfCs and other noticeboards, as well as a fair amount of Talk page stalking. My major content works are on corporations and public relations topics, such as History of public relations and various articles about PR agencies, associations, etc.
I bring almost every article where I have a COI up to "Good Article" status eventually, except where there is not enough source material to meet the requirements, or I have abstained from a major part of the article. Although not all GA reviews are equally rigorous, I find it is a good process to ensure the article is neutral and of good quality. Articles where I have a COI should have a Connected Contributor tag on the Talk page to avoid any confusion between my volunteer and COI roles. On articles where I have a COI, I mostly edit Talk pages, except for grammar, fixing citation templates, addressing GA review feedback, vandalism, where other editors insist I make the edit myself or in other common sense circumstances.
You know what? You deserve this. Not many people can do what you do without causing massive drama. What you do is precisely in line with what I advise every article subject or representative who I encounter on Wikipedia, or in my past life as an email response volunteer. You play a straight bat, and I applaud you for it. Guy (Help!) 16:42, 22 February 2015 (UTC)
The Business and Economics Barnstar
For your daily improvement of the pedia, and your business-like dedication to doing paid editing in the most transparent, by-the-book manner possible, I award you this business-like barnstar. As I read about PR firms pledging they will follow your example (and their own ethics rules), I can't help but be proud of our association, and especially be thankful that you are the stand-up guy I believe I recognized through your early contributions. BusterD (talk) 21:46, 25 July 2014 (UTC)
The Barnstar of Diligence
For showing the community that paid editing can be done without harming the encyclopedia :) — ΛΧΣ21Call me Hahc21 20:12, 27 January 2014 (UTC)
The Original Barnstar
For immense contributions to Wikipedia. From a long-time close observer, for your careful, thorough by-the-book approach to editing in potential-COI situations, providing one of the finest examples of successfully handling those in a way that provides an unequivocal benefit to Wikipedia. My apologies that if this is so late and thus sort of "out of the blue", but my resolution is to catch up long overdue much-deserved barnstars. Sincerely, North8000 (talk) 23:50, 22 December 2013 (UTC)
The Special Barnstar
This Barnstar is for being a good example of how to do things the right way, even when it isn't the easy way. Guy Macon (talk) 15:01, 31 October 2013 (UTC)
For your intelligent thoughts during the Paid Advocacy Policy debate. Your grasp of the situation is perfect and I wish you every success. Carrite (talk) 16:28, 20 October 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for your edits to Silk Road - you deserve a good whisky (or something stronger) for having become a true Wikipedian over the last year! SmartSE (talk) 01:08, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
The Brilliant Idea Barnstar
Awarded for your COI submissions board. I have long thought that there should be an equivalent to WP:BLPN for companies. I hope the board will flourish, and become a Wikipedia noticeboard in due course. AndreasJN466 23:33, 1 July 2013 (UTC)
The Barnstar of Diplomacy
For long track record of improving business articles and working with new editors to explain the COI policy. Brainy J ~✿~ (talk) 19:52, 6 September 2013 (UTC)
