Announcements: Gagen MacDonald Morgan Marzec Named to PRWeek 40 Under 40/content/gagen-macdonald-morgan-marzec-named-to-prweek-40-under-40Morgan Marzec, consultant at Gagen MacDonald LLC, the Chicago-based strategy execution and employee engagement firm, has been named to PRWeeks 40 Under 40, an annual ranking of the communications industrys 40 most accomplished PR professionals under the age of 40.Announcements: Gagen MacDonald Adds Two Strategy Execution Consultants/content/gagen-macdonald-adds-two-strategy-execution-consultantsGagen MacDonald LLC, the Chicago-based strategy execution and employee engagement firm, today announced that Sheila Kindig and Helen Paczkowski have joined the consultancy.Announcements: Employee Confidence Remains Strong Despite Tough Economy/content/employee-confidence-remains-strong-despite-tough-economyDespite one of the worst economic environments in American history, U.S. employees report surprisingly high levels of confidence in the overall direction of their companies and their management, according to a new employee confidence survey released today.Articles: Influence, not control, has become the key to success/content/influence-not-control-has-become-the-key-to-successSeismic changes, driven by astonishingly rapid technological breakthroughs, have reshaped many of the underlying premises that define societies. While we accept that intractable forces like globalization and digitalization have altered the communications climate, the question is: have we sufficiently evolved as an industry to meet this challenge?Articles: Five Steps to Strategy Planning/content/five-steps-to-strategy-planningUnderlying any strategic approach to managing communication is a simple plan that makes a direct link between the output of the communication function and the goals and objectives of the organization. In clarifying exactly what we mean when talking about strategy planning, Patricia Bayerlein identifies five key steps to the process.Articles: Collaboration and Inclusion: Implementing Global Communications Councils/content/collaboration-and-inclusion-implementing-global-communications-councilsMotivated by the belief that theyre on a moral crusade of sorts, communicators strive to control corporate communications through policies, approval procedures and other mechanisms that dictate and police the behavior of our corporate colleagues all in the quest for consistent leadership.Articles: Demystifying Ways Employees Deliver on Brand Promises/content/demystifying-ways-employees-deliver-on-brand-promisesWhile companies can easily measure marketing dollars spent on brand-building initiatives, understanding how the brand drives customers purchasing decisions has often proven to be more elusive. How do companies use brand magic to form long-lasting relationships with customers?Articles: Overcoming barriers to global success at International/content/overcoming-barriers-to-global-success-at-internationalWhen International Truck and Engine Corporation (now Navistar International) launched a multinational initiative in 2003, it quickly became apparent that critical business information was not flowing across the global team as it should. The result was slow progress and unnecessary cost. Here, Gretchen Rosswurm and Patricia Bayerlein describe the steps taken to improve information flow, resulting in savings close to US$1 million.Articles: HR and communication: partnering for business results/content/hr-and-communication-partnering-for-business-resultsTodays leaders are being challenged more than ever to deliver results quickly, to retain an edge for their organization, to keep an often cynical workforce engaged. For much of the 1980s and early 1990s, corporate leaders turned to their heads of the finance and legal departments for help in deciding how the company would deliver results. Today, however, an increasing number of leaders understand that achieving sustainable business success starts and ends with getting employees rallied behind them and what theyre trying to achieve.Articles: Measuring behavior change/content/measuring-behavior-changeMost HR and communication professionals share a common belief that the ultimate goal of their efforts is to facilitate a change in behaviors that directly links to improved business results. But they may have different perspectives on how to effectively measure behavior change in the context of management objectives and often employ different approaches.Articles: Telling the corporate story: vision into action/content/telling-the-corporate-story-vision-into-actionA corporate story is a narrative tool that tells the tale of a companys strategy in action. It is a clear, structured, compelling articulation of who we are and where were headed that rallies emotional and rational support from stakeholders. More than mere words, however, the corporate storys strength lies in its ability to align leaders, drive decision making and mobilize the organization.Articles: Inspiring change and driving results: What can your employee publication do for you?/content/inspiring-change-and-driving-results-what-can-your-employee-publication-do-for-youBeyond simply reporting on company news and events, employee publications can influence change by inspiring new thinking and behaviors that lead to improved performance and business results.Articles: The six principles of performance communication/content/the-six-principles-of-performance-communicationIncreasingly, organizations are becoming aware that engaged employees are fundamental to achieving business success. Alignment between HR and communication is at the heart of achieving true engagement and high performance.Articles: Customer loyalty and employee engagement: an alignment for value/content/customer-loyalty-and-employee-engagement-an-alignment-for-valueBecause corporate reputations and, in turn, bottom-line business results, now depend on a corporations ability to build strong relationships with customers and employees, quantifying the power vested in employee engagement and customer loyalty is the new business imperative.Articles: PR should continue to assert its case/content/pr-should-continue-to-assert-its-caseA segment on the CBS Sunday Morning program several weeks ago little noticed by anyone outside our profession rocked the public relations world, causing many of us to question how far we have come in educating key opinion leaders about what public relations is, and what public relations professionals truly stand for.Case Study: United Airlines Employee Engagement/content/united-airlines-engaged-employees-to-deliver-record-breaking-performanceAs it worked to successfully exit bankruptcy, United Airlines needed to engage employees to improve performance amid a complex restructuring. Key to the companys success was launching a new performance incentive program Success Sharing to build trust in leadership and align employee actions with Uniteds overall business strategy. Gagen MacDonald helped to engage employees to deliver record-breaking performance.Case Study: United Airlines Change Management/content/united-airlines-engaged-employees-to-implement-sensitive-operational-changesTo support United Airlines efforts associated with its bankruptcy/restructuring work, a business transformation office (BTO) at United was charged in 2003 with meeting aggressive debtor-in-possession (DIP) covenants set by Federal Court. Uniteds Operations team was the largest and most complex program, overseeing the activity of 11 projects encompassing three business divisions and the entire global network of airports. The team needed to engage employees to think and behave differently to transform how the company worked and reduce costs by $150 million by 2004. Gagen MacDonald helped to engage the hearts and minds of employees and drive the necessary behavior change. Case Study: United Airlines Leadership Communications Skills Training/content/united-airlines-equipped-leaders-with-new-skills-to-translate-company-strategy-into-actionAs it approached exit from bankruptcy in 2001, United Airlines was under the microscope of creditors, shareholders, customers, media and competitors. Uniteds front-line supervisors, who represented a critical link between Uniteds strategy and the field, needed new skills, tools and insights to translate Uniteds strategy into action, every day, to improve operational performance and employee engagement. Gagen MacDonald helped to equip leaders with new skills to translate company strategy into action.Case Study: Organizational Design for Corporate Communications Functional Transformation/content/corporate-communications-led-global-functional-transformationsSenior leaders of corporate communications functions were asked to adapt their organizations to drive business performance, improve leadership communication, support transformation and behavior change and create sustainable success. Corporate communications organizations are continuing to evolve from the changing demands of external factors, shifts in strategy and the expectations of new leaders and stakeholders. Gagen MacDonald has led numerous companies through global functional transformations to help achieve business results.Case Study: International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) Leadership Alignment/content/international-truck-and-engine-aligned-leadership-to-collaborate-share-accountability-for-successA new VP of Manufacturing at International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) took the helm facing a tough political environment, product centers at odds with the manufacturing strategy, silo mentality and disparate goals across the plants. His goal: to bring plant leadership together to work in a new way, applying manufacturing expertise collectively, collaborating and sharing accountability for success against common performance improvement goals. Gagen MacDonald helped to align leadership to collaborate and share accountability for success.Case Study: International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) Labor Relations/content/international-truck-and-engine-transformed-a-long-history-of-contentious-labor-relationsAn adversarial management-labor relationship at International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) threatened critical UAW contract negotiations and extensive capital investment in new product. Gagen MacDonald partnered with leadership to transform a long history of contentious labor relations.Case Study: International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) Brand Delivery/content/international-truck-and-engine-engaged-employees-to-launch-new-product-deliver-brand-promiseTo ensure its position as a category leader, International Truck and Engines (now Navistar International) engineers and designers needed to fully understand expected customer benefits and deliver the brand promise via the first new product in 25 years. Gagen MacDonald helped engage employees in successfully delivering the new product and customer brand experience.Case Study: International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) Performance Improvement/content/international-truck-and-engine-inspired-employees-to-improve-key-metricsA chronic under-performing manufacturing plant at International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) needed to make dramatic operating improvements and reduce costs and headcount to successfully launch a new model that the company was counting on to invigorate its 100-year-old brand. Gagen MacDonald helped inspire employees to improve key metrics.Case Study: International Truck and Engine (now Navistar International) Organizational Alignment and Action/content/international-truck-and-engine-improved-profitability-by-driving-alignment-actionInconsistency on small-volume transactions and misinformation from dealers on local market facts negatively impacted International Truck and Engines (now Navistar International) profitability and challenged efforts to compete on the brands value, not price. Gagen MacDonald helped to improve profitability by driving alignment and action. Case Study: Baxter International Performance Improvement/content/baxter-improved-customer-service-and-inventory-managementWith multiple, siloed forecasting and planning practices, Baxter experienced thousands of customer backorders, significant inventory surpluses and huge increases in distribution costs. Management needed to engage employees to align all procurement, production, sales and distribution planning against a single demand forecast. Gagen MacDonald helped engage employees in new inventory management processes, increasing employee accountability and improving customer service.Case Study: BASF Corporation Strategic Employee Communications/content/basf-connected-with-employees-to-successfully-integrate-an-acquired-companyAfter completing a multibillion-dollar acquisition; BASF Corporation, a leading global chemical company, needed to connect with newly acquired employees to retain top talent and achieve integration objectives. Gagen MacDonald helped leadership establish a relationship with employees to successfully integrate the acquired company.Case Study: Consumer Durables and Vehicle Components Production Company Leadership Alignment/content/american-standard-aligned-leadership-around-a-desired-culture-key-business-metricsLeadership from operations and corporate communications of an $8 billion producer of consumer durables and vehicle components realized that their existing model of getting results wouldnt continue to deliver high performance for the future in a unionized environment. Gagen MacDonald helped to align leadership around a desired culture, key business metrics.Case Study: Beverage Production Company Strategic Employee Communications/content/coors-aligned-employee-thinking-enable-decision-making-and-actionJust three years after narrowly failing to unionize a regional plant at one of the nations largest beverage companies, a prominent labor union garnered the necessary union cards to petition for another election. The company recognized that its traditional way of communicating its position through letters, fliers and mandatory meetings (which had resulted in winning the previous election by a mere seven votes) would not be successful this time. Management needed to do better, and sought a new approach. Gagen MacDonald helped to align employee thinking around the issues to enable fact-based decision making and action.White Papers/content/white-papersGagen MacDonalds thought leadership and research provides the latest thinking in strategy execution, as well as valuable insights to help enable your business strategy.Articles/content/articlesAs strategic partners, trusted advisors, teachers, mentors, and coaches, we are compelled to share our experience, knowledge and perspective to be a catalyst for change.Announcements/content/announcementsRecognizing that collaborative and lasting relationships are founded on sharing information, we regularly post news of developing capabilities and expertise, as well as firm events and industry trends that have implications for our clients business success.Articles Organizational Design for Communications/content/articles-organizational-design-for-communicationsArticles Organizational Design for CommunicationsArticles Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/articles-internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryArticles Internal Brand Strategy and DeliveryArticles Strategic Employee Communications and Engagement/content/articles-strategic-employee-communications-and-engagementArticles Strategic Employee Communications and EngagementArticles Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/articles-leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesArticles Leadership Development, Training and Organizational CapabilitiesArticles Culture and Change Leadership/content/articles-culture-and-change-leadershipArticles Culture and Change LeadershipSeminars/content/seminarsGagen MacDonald seminars are focused on helping Communications and Human Resource professionals positively impact the bottom line.Using Sustainability to Drive Employee Engagement/content/using-sustainability-to-drive-employee-engagementAt Gagen MacDonald, our core belief is that employees are the bridge that connects strategy and results. In todays environment, many companies are measuring success not only by financial performance, but also by the impact they have on society, their communities and the environment. Similarly, many companies recent experience testifies to employees budding social consciousness. More and more employees are motivated by a hunger to save the world, with growing concern over issues such as climate change, third-world human rights violations and energy security. Over the last half-decade, we have witnessed a groundswell of local-level activities, ranging from simple recycling drives to more complex energy-efficiency initiatives, all of which are symbolic of employees passion for making a positive impact.Where We Can Help: Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility/content/sustainability-and-corporate-responsibilityGagen MacDonald helps those who are responsible for developing, executing and communicating a sustainability strategy find ways to fully engage the enterprise and work against a truly integrated, enterprise-wide sustainability approach. Because people at their core want to be part of something larger than themselves, we help companies define a sustainability platform that can be used as a rallying cry for employees to act upon to achieve a specific purpose. A purpose that contributes to our communities, to the environment and, of course, to the bottom line. Case Studies Organizational Design for Communications/content/case-studies-organizational-design-for-communicationsCase Studies Organizational Design for CommunicationsCase Studies Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/case-studies-internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryCase Studies Internal Brand Strategy and DeliveryCase Studies Strategic Employee Communications and Engagement/content/case-studies-strategic-employee-communications-and-engagementCase Studies Strategic Employee Communications and EngagementCase Studies Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/case-studies-leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesCase Studies Leadership Development, Training and Organizational CapabilitiesCase Studies Culture and Change Leadership/content/case-studies-culture-and-change-leadershipCase Studies Culture and Change LeadershipWhite Papers: Driving a Brand Culture/content/driving-a-brand-cultureThere are two ways to approach a brand launch. The first is as an identity initiative with a primary focus on architecture and expression. The second is to use the brand roll out as a tool to drive execution of the strategy and deliver bottom line results. Some of the most successful brand launches focused on the latter.White Papers: Aligning Corporate Messages to Lead a Company/content/aligning-corporate-messages-to-lead-a-companyThe message platform is the focus of leadership communications and must be reflected in all communications and actions. Management must be aligned around the platform for it to be effective. Its construction is based on political models of communications and persuasion, as well as research conducted concerning human memory capacity.White Papers: Reinventing Internal Communications to Get Business Results /content/reinventing-internal-communications-to-get-business-resultsMore than ever, business leaders recognize how effective communications can affect business issues. As a result, greater expectations are placed on Communications functions, and many of them are delivering. Once looked upon only as a staff service function, yesterdays spin masters are reinventing themselves into high-performance functions that partner in decision making and strategy execution.White Papers: If Only I Knew: How to Use Information Flow to Avoid Mistakes and Get Results/content/if-only-i-knew-how-to-use-information-flow-to-avoid-mistakes-and-get-resultsIf only I knew the managerial refrain of many a derailed project, results shortfall and career failure, as critical information inside an organization didnt get to leadership in time to make a difference. With 20/20 hindsight we can see that healthy information flow the movement of complete, accurate, candid and timely information people need to do their jobs might have avoided failures ranging from the fall of WorldCom to the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Where We Can Help: Organizational Design for Communications/content/organizational-design-for-communicationsAt Gagen MacDonald, we believe organizational design for corporate communications extends far beyond rearranging boxes on an org chart to looking at the complex relationship between strategy, structure, people, process and culture and making sure all are aligned to support the objectives of the business.Where We Can Help: Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryAt Gagen MacDonald, we dont develop brand promises we promise to help companies deliver them. And that means helping you to focus behaviors and motivate people to deliver the expected brand experience consistently at every point of customer contact. We do this by engaging your people, using our experience and a selection of proprietary tools, including message maps, brand delivery modeling and brand/business strategy alignment.Where We Can Help: Strategic Employee Communications and Engagement/content/strategic-employee-communications-and-engagementGagen MacDonald can help you engage your employees to turn strategies into bottom-line results. We approach business opportunities with a communications mindset because thats how we believe you successfully run a company. By extending strategic communication expertise deeper into management decision-making and strategy execution, the communications function helps drive the business rather than just report on it.Where We Can Help: Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesAt Gagen MacDonald, we work with companies to enhance the performance of employees and key functions to ensure the right capabilities are in place in order to be successful. Our diverse, global team of certified trainers and consultants can help you build capabilities within your organization to develop the high-performance culture you need to compete and grow.Where We Can Help: Culture and Change Leadership/content/culture-and-change-leadershipCreating a culture that leads to improved operating results is challenging; it requires your people to behave differently to achieve different results. When improving performance requires your company and its people to take big steps forward together, Gagen MacDonald can help you create a sense of shared purpose and lead your organization to better results.Share Your Thoughts/content/share-your-thoughtsShare a bit about yourself and your thoughts on what we can do for you.Give Us A Call/content/give-us-a-callThink we can help you? Give us a call and well gladly discuss the possibilities of working together to achieve the results you need.Awards/content/awardsWeve had the privilege to partner with great clients on some of the most interesting business challenges and opportunities, and weve been honored and recognized by leading organizations for our work.Announcements Archive 2009/content/announcements-archive-2009Announcements Archive 2009How We Work: Our Commitment to Sustainability/content/our-commitment-to-sustainabilityAt the core of our values is a commitment to serving our clients. This commitment stems from a philosophy deeply rooted in our team: we help because we can. This is what it means to be Gagen. Our commitment to helping others extends beyond our clients to our broader community. From our backyards to our profession, we make involvement in the community part of our lives every day.Announcements: Gagen MacDonald Hosts Future Leaders Experience/content/gagen-macdonald-hosts-future-leaders-experienceThe prestigious Arthur W. Page Society officially launched the Future Leaders Experience, a two-year program to prepare high-potential communications execs to assume the chief communications officer (CCO) role at a major corporation, at the Gagen MacDonald office in Chicago.Announcements: Debreceny Joins Gagen MacDonald/content/debreceny-joins-gagen-macdonaldGagen MacDonald LLC, the Chicago-based strategy execution and employee engagement firm, today announced that Peter Debreceny, formerly vice president, Corporate Relations at Allstate Insurance, has joined the consultancy.Announcements: Gagen MacDonald Offers "Leading Bold Change" Training/content/gagen-macdonald-offers-leading-bold-change-trainingGagen MacDonald announces a new offering Leading Bold Change, an interactive learning program based on Our Iceberg Is Melting, the fable by Harvard Business School Professor, John Kotter, Ph.D. and Holger Rathgeber.Announcements Archive 2008/content/announcements-archive-2008Announcements Archive 2008Gagen MacDonald Privacy Policy/content/gagen-macdonald-privacy-policyOur Privacy Policy was developed as an extension of our commitment to serve our clients and prospective business partners with the highest level of integrity. The Policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use and safeguard the personal information you provide to us.Tools We Use: Employee Engagement/content/employee-engagementWe use employee engagement tools to create momentum, build visibility and drive commitment to the business cause. Often these tools are transformational experiences that change how people think about their work, about management and about their relationships with the company and other employees.Announcements Archive 2005/content/announcements-archive-2005Announcements Archive 2005Announcements Archive 2006/content/announcements-archive-2006Announcements Archive 2006Announcements Archive 2007/content/announcements-archive-2007Announcements Archive 2007Tools Organizational Design for Communications/content/tools-organizational-design-for-communicationsTools Organizational Design for CommunicationsTools Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/tools-internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryTools Internal Brand Strategy and DeliveryTools Strategic Employee Communications and Engagement/content/tools-strategic-employee-communications-and-engagementTools Strategic Employee Communications and EngagementTools Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/tools-leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesTools Leadership Development, Training and Organizational CapabilitiesTools Culture and Change Leadership/content/tools-culture-and-change-leadershipTools Culture and Change LeadershipAmerican Standard/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with American Standard to deliver: Operations improvement communication support, message platform development and training.Coors Brewing Company/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Coors Brewing Company to deliver: Labor relations, message platform development and training; operations improvement communication support.Thomas Betts Corporation/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Thomas Betts Corporation to deliver: Strategic internal communications support.Payless ShoeSource, Inc./content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Payless ShoeSource, Inc. to deliver: Strategic internal communication planning and execution support, organizational assessment and design, 100-day leadership transition planning, leadership conference support, message platform development and training.Collective Brands Inc./content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Collective Brands Inc. to deliver: Merger integration communications support.McDonalds Corporation/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with McDonalds Corporation to deliver: Leadership communications effectiveness, strategy alignment and execution, stakeholder engagement, global communication teambuilding and conference.Elsevier/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Elsevier to deliver: Message platform development and training.Nationwide/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Nationwide to deliver: Change communications workshop, strategic planning.Accenture/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Accenture to deliver: Strategic planning, change communications.Weyerhaeuser/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Weyerhaeuser to deliver: Corporate communications competency building, change communications and strategic planning workshops.Seyfarth Shaw LLP/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Seyfarth Shaw LLP to deliver: Strategic planning, corporate communications competency building, message development and training, functional design, communications cascade.Edison International/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Edison International to deliver: Culture change, ERP implementation, vision and values rollout, employee recognition, operations communications support, leadership communications.Dairy Management Inc./content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Dairy Management Inc. to deliver: Business transformation support, leadership communications, message development and training, functional assessment, communications audit, Human Resource communications, strategy execution.Dean Foods/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Dean Foods to deliver: Strategic internal communication planning, message development.USAA/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with USAA to deliver: Business transformation support, metrics framework development, leadership communications, CEO transition support.Sears, Roebuck and Co./content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Sears, Roebuck and Co. to deliver: Organizational development and capability building (Planning for Business Results seminar), strategic employee communication and engagement counsel.Rockwell Automation/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Rockwell Automation to deliver: Strategic planning, functional alignment and strategy execution, message development, ERP implementation.Johnson Johnson/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Johnson Johnson to deliver: Leadership communications, strategic internal communication planning and execution support.GMAC Financial Services/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with GMAC Financial Services to deliver: Strategic planning, corporate strategy alignment, leadership communications.General Motors/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with General Motors to deliver: Strategic communications planning, communications research and analysis, internal communications functional assessment.GAP Inc./content/Our-ClientsPartnered with GAP Inc. to deliver: Benefits communications, change communications plan development and execution support.Estee Lauder/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Estee Lauder to deliver: Communications strategy and planning, internal branding, organizational design.BlueCross BlueShield Florida/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with BlueCross BlueShield Florida to deliver: Strategic planning, functional assessment.Wrigley/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Wrigley to deliver: Strategic planning, corporate communications competency building.Whirlpool Corporation/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Whirlpool Corporation to deliver: Functional assessment and organizational design, merger communications strategic counsel and planning.Thompson Financial/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Thompson Reuters (formerly Thompson Financial) to deliver: Strategic planning, corporate communications competency building.L-3 Communications/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with L-3 Communications to deliver: Functional assessment and organizational design.Gordon Food Service/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Gordon Food Service to deliver: Strategic internal communications counsel and strategy development.Gateway Foundation/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Gateway Foundation to deliver: Strategic internal communications planning and execution support, on-boarding program development, message training.CNH Global/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with CNH Global to deliver: Internal brand audit, external communications planning support and program management.Textron/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Textron to deliver: Change communications, message development, internal branding, Lean and Six Sigma communications, corporate communications competency development.Allstate/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Allstate to deliver: Employee and stakeholder engagement, issues management, strategic communications support, organizational design for corporate communications.The Kroger Company/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with The Kroger Company to deliver: Organizational development and capability building (Planning for Business Results seminar), strategic internal communications counsel.Baxter International/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Baxter International to deliver: Division restructuring support, team development and performance optimization; supply chain integration, operations transformation support, change management, ERP implementation, strategic planning and execution support, 100-day leadership transition planning.Novartis/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Novartis to deliver: Leadership communications, change communications, communications research and analysis, workforce transition communications support.BASF Corporation/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with BASF Corporation to deliver: Merger integration communications support, employee engagement, leadership communications.International Truck and Engine/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with International Truck and Engine to deliver: Culture change, internal branding, operations communications support, sales and marketing alignment, leadership conference support, strategic planning and execution support, communication audits, independent distributor communications, new product launches, employee engagement research and measurement, executive coaching, leadership alignment.Navistar International/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with Navistar International to deliver: Human Resource audit and department optimization.PolyOne/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with PolyOne to deliver: Leadership development and best practices to facilitate enhanced performance in a matrixed organization.O-I, Inc./content/Our-ClientsPartnered with O-I, Inc. to deliver: Financial communications, strategic planning.United Airlines/content/Our-ClientsPartnered with United Airlines to deliver: Operations communications support, bankruptcy and corporate restructuring communications, business transformation support, functional assessment and organizational design, strategic planning and coaching for performance, internal crisis communications, sales and marketing alignment, IT transformation support, merger communication support, leadership development and action planning, employee engagement, 100-day leadership transition planning.Announcements: Garcia Joins Gagen MacDonald/content/garcia-joins-gagen-macdonaldGagen MacDonald LLC, the Chicago-based strategy execution and employee engagement firm, today announced that Bob Garcia, formerly of Alvarez Marsal Business Consulting, has joined the consultancy.Announcements: Strategy Execution Firm Co-Founded By Maril Gagen Macdonald Renamed/content/firm-renamedGagen MacDonald is the new name of the strategy execution and communications firm co-founded by Maril Gagen MacDonald in 1998. With this change, the company also is announcing its additional capabilities in offering clients leadership assessment and coaching, organizational design, diversity strategies and information flow management.Announcements: Gagen MacDonald Earns Certification as Women's Business Enterprise/content/wbe-certificationChicago-based strategy execution and employee engagement firm, Gagen MacDonald LLC, announces it has been certified as a Women's Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), based in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the Women's Business Development Center, Chicago.Announcements: Gonring to Join Gagen MacDonald/content/gonring-to-join-gagen-macdonaldGagen MacDonald LLC, the Chicago-based strategy execution and employee engagement firm, today announced that Matthew P. Gonring, currently vice president of Global Marketing and Communications for Rockwelll Automation will be joining the consultancy effective January 1, 2007.Announcements: BASF Captures Gold SABRE for Global Integration Communications /content/basf-captures-gold-sabreBASF Corporation and Gagen MacDonald today announced they received The Holmes Group's prestigious Gold SABRE Award in the "Change Management" category. The honor recognized the communications program that was designed to integrate employees of the former Engelhard Corporation into BASF following the company's acquisition by BASF in June 2006.Announcements: Arthur W. Page Society Elects New President and Trustees at Annual Conference/content/page-society-elects-new-presidentAt the annual business meeting held today the 24th Annual Conference of the Arthur W. Page Society, the Nominating Committee announced that the Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to elect Maril Gagen MacDonald, CEO of Gagen MacDonald, as President of the Page Society, beginning January 1, 2008.Tools We Use: Strategic Communications and Planning/content/strategic-communications-and-planningFrom CEO transitions, to labor agreements, to strategic shiftssuccessful implementation requires thoughtful and thorough strategic planningplanning that considers all dimensions of the issue. Gagen MacDonald helps leaders see issues from multiple points of view through various filters, with an eye on the successful implementation of the plan or program.Tools We Use: Message Alignment and Delivery/content/message-alignment-and-deliveryTo inspire action, strategy has to be translated into a message set that is easy to remember and say. We combine what management wants to say with what employees want to know. Then we provide the instruction to improve leadership credibility.Tools We Use: Coaching, Development and Training/content/coaching-development-and-trainingWe have developed a variety of tools to help our clients ensure they have the right people, with the right skills to get the job done. Working virtually, or embedded on-site in client teams, we help individuals improve their impact as change agents; Human Resource and Communications teams grow as business drivers; and companies engage all employees in building a better business.Tools We Use: Research and Measurement/content/research-and-measurementOur view on metrics and measurement is to build strong, conclusive research. In addition to using traditional research methods, we actively work with experts from all fields to redefine and build solutions to help organizations become more effective.Employee Engagement Forum/content/employee-engagement-forumOur Employee Engagement Forum creates opportunities for our clients and contacts to hear directly from one another about fresh approaches to solving common challenges, to talk about whats going on with communications and how they want to shape our industry, and on a personal level expand their own networks.Speaking Engagements and Events/content/speaking-engagements-and-eventsOur consultants are often invited to speak and present on a range of topics at local and national events hosted by industry associations, educational institutions and clients.Industry Affiliations and Leadership/content/industry-affiliations-and-leadershipOur active leadership and participation in strategic industry organizations enable us to continually stay abreast of the key trends and critical news events impacting our clients.Consultant Biographies: Sheila Kindig/content/sheila-kindigSheila Kindig brings a unique blend of strategic communications, human resources and business consulting capabilities to partner with clients undergoing organizational and cultural transformation. For over 15 years, Sheila has consulted with clients on workforce communications, crisis communications, change integration, organizational design, leadership alignment, employee value proposition, corporate and executive positioning, and corporate branding.Consultant Biographies: Helen Paczkowski/content/helen-paczkowskiHelen Paczkowski brings six years of diverse organizational development and research experience to the Gagen MacDonald team. She most recently worked with Johnson Johnson to develop and execute a strategic plan to enable the communication function to have a greater impact on the business. Helen also applied her qualitative analysis experience to help a food and beverage company create a compelling corporate story which served as an alignment tool across business divisions.Awards Archive 2009/content/awards-archive-2009Awards Archive 2009Awards Archive 2008/content/awards-archive-2008Awards Archive 2008Sample Title/content/sample-pageSample DescriptionAwards Archive 2003/content/awards-archive-2003Awards Archive 2003Awards Archive 2004/content/awards-archive-2004Awards Archive 2004Awards Archive 2005/content/awards-archive-2005Awards Archive 2005Awards Archive 2006/content/awards-archive-2006Awards Archive 2006Awards Organizational Design for Communications/content/awards-organizational-design-for-communicationsAwards Organizational Design for CommunicationsAwards Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/awards-internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryAwards Internal Brand Strategy and DeliveryAwards Strategic Employee Communications and Engagement/content/awards-strategic-employee-communications-and-engagementAwards Strategic Employee Communications and EngagementAwards Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/awards-leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesAwards Leadership Development, Training and Organizational CapabilitiesAwards Culture and Change Leadership/content/awards-culture-and-change-leadershipAwards Culture and Change LeadershipConsultant Biographies: Katherine Wilburn/content/katherine-wilburnKatherine Wilburn joined Gagen MacDonald as a recent graduate of Boston University where she received a Masters of Science in Corporate Communication. Currently, she is providing writing support and exploring methods of social media that will assist in the implementation of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system at Edison International, parent company to one of the largest electric utilities in the U.S., Southern California Edison.Consultant Biographies: Julie Kness/content/julie-knessJulie Kness brings a wealth of strategic communications experience to clients who are seeking change management and culture building expertise. From mergers and acquisitions to innovation methodology and internal branding, her work has focused on creating a clear line of sight between individual efforts and organizational goals.Consultant Biographies: Barbara Jacobs/content/barbara-jacobsWith more than two decades of providing advice and counsel to a variety of businesses, Barbara Jacobs experience spans across the spectrum of communications, advertising, marketing and public relations. She specializes in organizational and HR Communications, in change management initiatives and in driving employee adoption of new behaviors.Consultant Biographies: J. Chandler Goodman/content/j-chandler-goodmanChandler Goodman joined Gagen MacDonald as a recent graduate of Colgate University. In Chandlers short time with the company he has already participated in internal communications assessments for two major companies. In these projects, Chandler used his propensity for research and analysis to sort complex survey data and identify relevant themes.Consultant Biographies: Robert A. Garcia/content/robert-a-garciaBob Garcia brings to client engagements over 20 years of global industry and higher education experience in executive coaching, HR integration, strategic planning, talent management, organizational effectiveness, succession planning, training and group facilitation.Consultant Biographies: Rose R. Gailey/content/rose-r-gaileyDuring her near-30 year career, Rose Gailey has led leadership development initiatives in over 20 Fortune 1000 companies, ranging in industry from automotive manufacturing, commercial aerospace and foodservice to pharmaceuticals, financial services and insurance. Rose is an expert in executive coaching and assessment, and is currently co-pioneering a versatile leadership analysis model, and applying it with two global clients.Consultant Biographies: Maril Gagen MacDonald/content/maril-gagen-macdonaldMaril MacDonald is a nationally recognized leader in communications and strategy execution. She has pioneered a discipline that collaborates with corporate leaders to optimize business performance by engaging and mobilizing stakeholders behind a companys strategic goals, its culture and its brand. Her clients include some of the most recognized brands in the world.Consultant Biographies: Rich Fruin/content/rich-fruinRich Fruins seven years of broad consulting and corporate experience are enabling him to contribute in a big way to one of Gagen MacDonalds largest-ever change initiatives. Working as part of an embedded team, Rich is responsible for leading and executing the internal communications and change effort in the finance and corporate center departments of the company as well as overseeing external communications with suppliers.Consultant Biographies: Nora Ellis/content/nora-ellisNora Ellis 18-year career has focused on enhancing employees professional development to unleash an organizations talent and competitive advantage. She specializes in human resource systems and organizational design.Consultant Biographies: Peter Debreceny /content/peter-debrecenyAfter recently retiring as vice president of Corporate Relations at Allstate Insurance Company, responsible for internal and external communications for the Allstate Corporation and its subsidiaries, Peter Debreceny has been with Gagen MacDonald since the end of 2007.Consultant Biographies: Patricia R. Bayerlein/content/patricia-r-bayerleinWith over 15 years of experience in international marketing and communications, Patricia Bayerlein has advised local governments on international relations and developed business-to-business markets in Europe and the Pacific Rim.Consultant Biographies: Mary E. Wallenfang/content/mary-e-wallenfangMary Wallenfang brings extensive experience that spans the corporate and nonprofit sectors, internal and external communications disciplines, and domestic and international borders. She currently co-leads the firms sustainability practice area and strategic partnership with BeDo Spring, helping clients create a competitive advantage by looking at sustainability in its broadest sense, aligning their business around it, and engaging their entire enterprise to deliver upon it.Consultant Biographies: Donna J. Uchida/content/donna-j-uchidaDonna Uchida offers her clients the experience of a senior-level executive with results-oriented management experience in strategic communications including change management, employee engagement, issues management, global communications, risk communications, media relations, executive and financial communications.Consultant Biographies: Sherry Scott/content/sherry-scottSherry Scott has 18-years of results-driven experience in change management, leadership and employee engagement, strategic planning, labor communication and internal and corporate communication.Consultant Biographies: Adrianne G. Rieck/content/adrianne-g-rieckWith a broad background in product and brand management, as well as strategic business communications, Adrianne Rieck has led product development efforts enabling companies to tap emerging markets and counseled clients on maximizing employee relationships to drive performance and bottom-line results.Consultant Biographies: Donna L. Reynolds/content/donna-l-reynoldsDonna Reynolds combines leadership with expertise in developing and implementing strategic employee communications initiatives during times of corporate transitions and new strategic directions.Consultant Biographies: Morgan Marzec/content/morgan-marzecMorgan Marzecs ability to get to the heart of complex business issues, simplify change and create actionable plans helps Gagen MacDonald clients engage employees to improve operational performance.Consultant Biographies: Patricia Ratulangi/content/patricia-ratulangiWith broad experience in corporate and marketing communications, Patricia Ratulangis passion is engaging employees to become brand ambassadors for their companies. She has developed and implemented strategic internal and external communications solutions for global and regional companies.Consultant Biographies: Bronwyn Poole/content/bronwyn-pooleAs a change management professional with more than 15 years of consulting experience, Bronwyn Poole helps leaders engage employees to implement major transitions in business strategy and achieve results. Her expertise includes change program design and management, merger integration, culture assessment, organization redesign, change leadership development and strategic internal communications.Consultant Biographies: Judith A. Muhlberg/content/judith-a-muhlbergJudith Muhlberg understands first-hand how to drive results within Fortune 500 global companies and is experienced in dealing with many business issues, ranging from mergers and acquisitions to leadership communications, labor relations and executive development to employee engagement and change and culture management.Consultant Biographies: Lauren A. Kostas/content/lauren-a-kostasLauren Kostas works with companies to achieve results by creating actionable plans to engage employees in delivering on the business strategy. Her areas of experience include helping clients visions and values become operational and enabling employees to deliver an exceptional customer experience.Careers/content/careersBecause we pursue breakthrough solutions with some of the worlds most prominent companies, we offer our team exciting professional opportunities.Our People/content/our-peopleOur core consulting team.Our Clients/content/our-clientsA sampling of our past and current clients. Due to confidentiality agreements, we are unable to disclose our full client list.What We Do: Strategy Execution and Employee Engagement/content/what-we-doGagen MacDonald is a strategy execution firm that helps companies turn strategies into results. Working collaboratively from the corporate office to the front line, we use an organizations brand, culture, vision and history to motivate and align employees behind accomplishing business objectives. Focusing our experiences and passions, we make your cause our cause.Gagen MacDonald Consultant Biographies M. Erik Gonring/content/m-erik-gonringErik Gonrings experience with Gagen MacDonald is affording him opportunities to contribute to a wide array of client assignments in the automotive, aviation, chemical manufacturing, consulting, consumer products, financial services, food service, pharmaceutical and retail industries. His experiences include integration communications strategy and execution for two major merger-acquisitions in the chemical and retail industries.Gagen MacDonald Consultant Biographies Vikki Watson/content/vikki-watsonVikki brings more than 22 years of internal, corporate, executive communications and media experience to clients, with a focus on creating strategic communications that inform, educate and positively influence internal stakeholders.How We Work: Our Values/content/our-valuesOur values represent who we are and what we do for our clients and the people we reach.How We Work: The Gagen Difference/content/the-gagen-differenceGagen MacDonald developed a core process or, more accurately, a way of thinking to create solutions that help our clients meet the evolving demands of their business. We dont force a model on your company; we mold our approach to fit your specific organization, culture and need.Gagen MacDonald: Turning Strategy Into Results : After the Downturn: Rethinking Employee and Employer Loyalty/content/rethinking-employee-employer-loyaltyFrom senior executives to communications practitioners to frontline supervisors, at some level, its a question weve all been asking: How has the economys downturn affected the hearts and minds of employees? Considering its significant business implications, we recently conducted a study in partnership with APCO Worldwide to help clarify this vitally important issue. Ultimately, we uncovered some interesting findings that have significant bearings for how companies think about employee engagement throughout this great recession and beyond.Events Archive 2009/content/events-archive-2009Events Archive 2009Where We Can Help: Intranet Communications and Internal Collaboration/content/intranet-communications-and-internal-collaborationYouve heard the promise of Web 2.0: Connect, collaborate and create. Corporate intranets are the central repository of information about the company, from HR benefits to current news to the companys position on corporate social responsibility.Learning Development: Key to Counteracting Seeds of Stress Sown by the Recession/content/learning-developmentTo many employees, the last 18 months seem to have been subject to Murphys Law, one nugget of bad news giving way to the next tidal wave of catastrophe. Its been doom and gloom as theyve seen friends and colleagues laid off and feared for their own jobs.Swine Flu (H1N1 Flu) Crisis: Communicating with Employees/content/swine-fluMany of our clients have told us they are wrestling with how to proactively communicate with stakeholders as well as prepare for a potential situation in which further spread may require organizations to take large-scale action. We wanted to share recommendations of how organizations should plan for and communicate during global medical issues such as the Swine Flu (H1N1 Flu).Thank You/content/thankyouThank YouArticles and White Papers Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/path-articles-and-white-papers-internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryArticles and White Papers Internal Brand Strategy and DeliveryPlanning for Business Results/content/path-planning-for-business-resultsPlanning for Business ResultsWhite Papers Organizational Design for Communications /content/path-white-papers-organizational-design-for-communicationsWhite Papers Organizational Design for Communications Planning for Professional Development/content/path-planning-for-professional-developmentPlanning for Professional DevelopmentArticles Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/path-articles-leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesArticles Leadership Development, Training and Organizational CapabilitiesWhite Papers Organizational Design for Communications/content/white-papers-organizational-design-for-communicationsWhite Papers Organizational Design for CommunicationsWhite Papers Internal Brand Strategy and Delivery/content/white-papers-internal-brand-strategy-and-deliveryWhite Papers Internal Brand Strategy and DeliveryWhite Papers Strategic Employee Communications and Engagement/content/white-papers-strategic-employee-communications-and-engagementWhite Papers Strategic Employee Communications and EngagementWhite Papers Leadership Development, Training and Organizational Capabilities/content/white-papers-leadership-development-training-and-organizational-capabilitiesWhite Papers Leadership Development, Training and Organizational CapabilitiesWhite Papers Culture and Change Leadership/content/white-papers-culture-and-change-leadershipWhite Papers Culture and Change LeadershipContact/content/contactContactGagen MacDonald: Turning strategy into results./content/homeGagen MacDonald is a strategy execution and employee engagement firm that consults and partners with leadership teams and their employees to drive business results. We engage employees by leveraging an organizations vision, leadership, brand, culture or history to motivate and align them behind business objectives. Contact us: (312) 640-9100.