Director / Manager of Corporate Communications
Content
ROB PHILLIPS Nashville, Tennessee 615.832.6293 (h) 615.945.6429 (m) Summary Corporate Communications Leader who has directed the staffs of FORTUNE 100 compa nies. Strategic team builder with global experience who understands how good ext ernal communications and employee communications support business objectives. Se asoned communicator who counsels executives, produces and implements crisis comm unications plans, leads issues management and change management activities, serv es as spokesperson, develops talent in younger communicators, and effectively po sitions clients through comprehensive communications campaigns. Award-winning ne ws, feature and speech writer featured in Vital Speeches of the Day. Business Qualifications * * * * * * * * * * * * Proven leader Executive counselor Effective spokesperson Crisis communicator Media relations expert Media trainer / coach Experienced manager Issues management leader Award-winning writer Executive speechwriter Change management leader Trusted mentor
Professional Experience LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, TN 2002-2010 One of the world's largest publishers of Christian resources including Bibles, b ooks, curriculum, music, videos and online tools; owns and operates more than 15 5 LifeWay Christian Stores and two of the largest Christian conference centers i n the U.S. Director of Communications * Managed staff that consistently won national awards for writing, photography, graphic design, publications, Web communications and social media. * Created and led company's first in-house media training seminar for executive s and management team. * Developed the first crisis communications plan in company history. * Helped lead company into the effective use of social media. * Led overhaul of award-winning Facts & Trends magazine, which now generates $7 .4 million in incremental revenue annually. * Empowered employees nationwide to share news and information through groundbr eaking social media platform called The Hub. * Directed staff of 12, plus freelancers and outside PR, with annual budget of $1.3 million. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR 2000-2002 The world's largest retailer serving customers 200 million times a week through nearly 8,500 outlets in 15 countries. Senior Manager of U.S. Media Relations * Led a team of in-house and agency professionals charged with helping increase store sales through promotional media campaigns that dovetailed with marketing
programs. * Served as main internal contact for all U.S. news releases and public stateme nts, providing editing and distribution services that ensured accuracy, consiste ncy and proper disclosure. * Was responsible for all content on the News page of the company's Web site. * Helped raise professionalism of relatively young and inexperienced media rela tions team. Phillips Petroleum Company (now ConocoPhillips), Bartlesville, OK 1981-2000 The third-largest integrated energy company in the U.S., with operations in more than 30 countries and nearly 30,000 employees. Director of Media Relations/Public Relations (1995-2000) * Strategically globalized the focus of media relations by establishing closer ties with the public affairs offices in the U.K., Norway, Australia and other lo cations. * Directed staff named best in the petroleum industry by journalists in 1997 su rvey. * Developed "Basic Training in Media Relations" used worldwide. * Anchored in-house video news program. * Managed successful effort to place 66-year-old company logo (the Phillips 66 shield) on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution. * Oversaw successful effort to gain exclusive coverage in The New York Times of Phillips' 15,000th patent, a significant milestone that demonstrated the compan y's technology leadership. * Led team that won IABC Gold Quill award, IABC Bronze Quill award and Web Mark eting Association award for innovative Web site called "The Virtual Newsroom." Media Relations Coordinator (1990-1995) * Helped position the company as an industry-leading environmental steward. Staff Writer, Senior Writer (1981-1990) * Wrote or edited 200 speeches, including nationally recognized and award-winni ng speeches (IABC, PRSA). * Placed several executive presentations in Vital Speeches of the Day. Awards and Recognitions * Led team that captured 11 national awards in 2010; personally won three first -place awards for book writing, feature writing and podcasting. * Directed or served on media relations staff named best in the petroleum indus try by journalists (1997) and media newsletter TJFR (1991). * Captured IABC, PRSA and Web Marketing Association awards for speechwriting, i nterpretive/expository writing, and online news (1986-1999). * Placed executive speeches in Vital Speeches of the Day (1986-1990). Education and Professional Development Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism/History, magna cum laude * * * * * * Dynamic Communicators Workshop Executive Media Training, The Ammerman Experience Dealing With an Angry Public, Harvard School of Management Talk So People Listen - Executive Seminar plus Advanced Courses, Speakeasy Basic and Advanced Media Training, The Ammerman Experience Dealing With Analysts and the Press, Executive Enterprises
Key Accomplishments
LifeWay Christian Resources * Led communications team in reorganization that transformed corporate communic ations into an in-house PR agency. * Helped lead company into exploration and effective use of social networking. * Managed team that launched the Newsroom at Lifeway.com. * Helped produce the first LifeWay corporate video in DVD and CD-ROM formats. * Developed the first crisis communications plan in the company's history. * Created and led the company's first in-house media training seminar for execu tives and management team. * Led overhaul of award-winning Facts & Trends magazine, which now generates $7 .4 million in incremental revenue annually. * Empowered employees nationwide to share news and information through groundbr eaking social media platform called The Hub. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. * Significantly improved professionalism of U.S. media relations department by establishing corporate policies and procedures, revitalizing news Web site, help ing manage crisis communications and helping media train store managers. Phillips Petroleum Company * Strategically globalized the focus of media relations by establishing closer ties with the company's international public affairs offices. * Led media relations department named best in the petroleum industry by journa lists. * Served as chief spokesperson for the company in all major announcements and c risis communications. * Created new best-in-class media relations organization that worked closely wi th the investor relations, corporate advertising and employee communications dep artments so consistent messages were delivered to all key audiences. * Identified and built relationships with "key media" - the business, energy an d financial journalists whose stories had the greatest potential to impact the c ompany's share price; visited them personally on a regular basis in New York, Lo s Angeles, Dallas and Houston. * Developed and taught "Basic Training in Media Relations" used worldwide. * Managed the company's award-winning Virtual Newsroom - a Web site designed fo r, and with the help of, journalists. * Managed successful effort to place 66-year-old company logo (the Phillips 66 shield) on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution. * Managed successful effort to gain exclusive coverage in The New York Times of Phillips' 15,000th patent, a significant milestone that demonstrated the compan y's technology leadership. * Won numerous speech and feature-writing awards from IABC and PRSA, and placed executive speeches in Vital Speeches of the Day.
Professional Experience LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, TN 2002-2010 One of the world's largest publishers of Christian resources including Bibles, b ooks, curriculum, music, videos and online tools; owns and operates more than 15 5 LifeWay Christian Stores and two of the largest Christian conference centers i n the U.S. Director of Communications * Managed staff that consistently won national awards for writing, photography, graphic design, publications, Web communications and social media. * Created and led company's first in-house media training seminar for executive s and management team. * Developed the first crisis communications plan in company history. * Helped lead company into the effective use of social media. * Led overhaul of award-winning Facts & Trends magazine, which now generates $7 .4 million in incremental revenue annually. * Empowered employees nationwide to share news and information through groundbr eaking social media platform called The Hub. * Directed staff of 12, plus freelancers and outside PR, with annual budget of $1.3 million. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR 2000-2002 The world's largest retailer serving customers 200 million times a week through nearly 8,500 outlets in 15 countries. Senior Manager of U.S. Media Relations * Led a team of in-house and agency professionals charged with helping increase store sales through promotional media campaigns that dovetailed with marketing
programs. * Served as main internal contact for all U.S. news releases and public stateme nts, providing editing and distribution services that ensured accuracy, consiste ncy and proper disclosure. * Was responsible for all content on the News page of the company's Web site. * Helped raise professionalism of relatively young and inexperienced media rela tions team. Phillips Petroleum Company (now ConocoPhillips), Bartlesville, OK 1981-2000 The third-largest integrated energy company in the U.S., with operations in more than 30 countries and nearly 30,000 employees. Director of Media Relations/Public Relations (1995-2000) * Strategically globalized the focus of media relations by establishing closer ties with the public affairs offices in the U.K., Norway, Australia and other lo cations. * Directed staff named best in the petroleum industry by journalists in 1997 su rvey. * Developed "Basic Training in Media Relations" used worldwide. * Anchored in-house video news program. * Managed successful effort to place 66-year-old company logo (the Phillips 66 shield) on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution. * Oversaw successful effort to gain exclusive coverage in The New York Times of Phillips' 15,000th patent, a significant milestone that demonstrated the compan y's technology leadership. * Led team that won IABC Gold Quill award, IABC Bronze Quill award and Web Mark eting Association award for innovative Web site called "The Virtual Newsroom." Media Relations Coordinator (1990-1995) * Helped position the company as an industry-leading environmental steward. Staff Writer, Senior Writer (1981-1990) * Wrote or edited 200 speeches, including nationally recognized and award-winni ng speeches (IABC, PRSA). * Placed several executive presentations in Vital Speeches of the Day. Awards and Recognitions * Led team that captured 11 national awards in 2010; personally won three first -place awards for book writing, feature writing and podcasting. * Directed or served on media relations staff named best in the petroleum indus try by journalists (1997) and media newsletter TJFR (1991). * Captured IABC, PRSA and Web Marketing Association awards for speechwriting, i nterpretive/expository writing, and online news (1986-1999). * Placed executive speeches in Vital Speeches of the Day (1986-1990). Education and Professional Development Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism/History, magna cum laude * * * * * * Dynamic Communicators Workshop Executive Media Training, The Ammerman Experience Dealing With an Angry Public, Harvard School of Management Talk So People Listen - Executive Seminar plus Advanced Courses, Speakeasy Basic and Advanced Media Training, The Ammerman Experience Dealing With Analysts and the Press, Executive Enterprises
Key Accomplishments
LifeWay Christian Resources * Led communications team in reorganization that transformed corporate communic ations into an in-house PR agency. * Helped lead company into exploration and effective use of social networking. * Managed team that launched the Newsroom at Lifeway.com. * Helped produce the first LifeWay corporate video in DVD and CD-ROM formats. * Developed the first crisis communications plan in the company's history. * Created and led the company's first in-house media training seminar for execu tives and management team. * Led overhaul of award-winning Facts & Trends magazine, which now generates $7 .4 million in incremental revenue annually. * Empowered employees nationwide to share news and information through groundbr eaking social media platform called The Hub. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. * Significantly improved professionalism of U.S. media relations department by establishing corporate policies and procedures, revitalizing news Web site, help ing manage crisis communications and helping media train store managers. Phillips Petroleum Company * Strategically globalized the focus of media relations by establishing closer ties with the company's international public affairs offices. * Led media relations department named best in the petroleum industry by journa lists. * Served as chief spokesperson for the company in all major announcements and c risis communications. * Created new best-in-class media relations organization that worked closely wi th the investor relations, corporate advertising and employee communications dep artments so consistent messages were delivered to all key audiences. * Identified and built relationships with "key media" - the business, energy an d financial journalists whose stories had the greatest potential to impact the c ompany's share price; visited them personally on a regular basis in New York, Lo s Angeles, Dallas and Houston. * Developed and taught "Basic Training in Media Relations" used worldwide. * Managed the company's award-winning Virtual Newsroom - a Web site designed fo r, and with the help of, journalists. * Managed successful effort to place 66-year-old company logo (the Phillips 66 shield) on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution. * Managed successful effort to gain exclusive coverage in The New York Times of Phillips' 15,000th patent, a significant milestone that demonstrated the compan y's technology leadership. * Won numerous speech and feature-writing awards from IABC and PRSA, and placed executive speeches in Vital Speeches of the Day.
