Laurence E.

White
Director of Communications strategy
Crisis, Issues & Government Affairs Expert
4580 Queensland Lane N., Plymouth MN 55446
(cell) 847-769-3044 * lw561f1e@westpost.net
Professional Summary
Big-picture corporate communications strategist with more than 10 years of exper
ience in complex crisis and issues management, including state and federal publi
c policy, legislative and regulatory affairs, transaction support and M&A, litig
ation and defense support, and product recall strategy, among other competencies
. Skilled team leader, creative and analytical thinker, and a demonstrated savv
y interacting with all organizational influencers and stakeholders, including ex
ecutive management teams, federal policymakers/regulators, Tier 1 business press
and Wall Street community. Former registered lobbyist.
Key Competencies and Areas of Expertise
-Crisis and issues management
-Complex problem solving
-Public policy/government and regulatory affairs
-Cross-functional team leadership
-Executive (C-Suite) counsel
-Media relations and Wall Street communications
-Strategic planning and leadership
-Talent development
Summary of Experience
Group Chair, Crisis & Critical Issues Specialty Practice, Carmichael Lynch Spong
, Minneapolis, MN, 2008 to 2010
- Recruited by director of strategy at 300+ person integrated marketing/communic
ations agency to lead and develop initiatives in its emerging crisis and issues
management practice group, including implementation of cost and deployment struc
ture, workflow processes, internal staff education/training and oversight of all
associated crisis and issues management programs
- Regularly led project teams of 10 to 15 in managing crisis, issues management
and government affairs situations, including federal Congressional investigation
s and associated testimony, food and product recalls, workplace safety, risk ass
essments, labor disputes, significant reputation threats and corporate crisis pr
eparedness initiatives
- Developed and oversaw execution of multiple, protracted and complex issues man
agement strategies, with results that include:
-- Successful defense and presentation preparedness for a U.S. House Committee
on Energy and Commerce investigation and subsequent hearings spearheaded by Rep
. Henry Waxman
-- The continued solvency of a food inspection firm involved in a $3B product re
call
-- No loss in sales for a sporting goods manufacturer that recalled a majority o
f its legacy products
-- Successful management of approximately $1M in combined retainer and project b
udgets
-- Organic client growth of 45 percent
- Was specifically cited by the Holmes Report as a contributing factor in its se
lecting Carmichael Lynch as "Small Agency of the Year"
Senior Associate, Sard Verbinnen & Co., Chicago, IL, 2006 to 2008
- Recruited by managing director to assist in growing a newly established satell
ite office of the nation's leading consultancy specializing in M&A/transaction s
upport, crisis and issues management and special situations.
- Successfully led cross-functional teams and multiple agency partners in overse
eing and executing communications activities related to major national corporate
bankruptcies, restructurings, executive transitions, product recalls, litigatio
n, hostile takeovers, proxy fights, earnings miss, restatements, strategic repos
itioning and confidential senior management issues
- Served as mentor/trainer to junior staff
- Played key roles in numerous transactional, situational and issues management
scenarios, with results that include:
-- The creation and execution of a comprehensive communications strategy related
to the merger of two international steel manufacturers
-- Successful takeover defense communications for a major cargo airline and the
developments of its business rationale for an eventual merger with a competitor
-- The development and execution of a key stakeholder communications plan for a
company during a Department of Justice investigation
-- A risk mitigation plan that significantly lessened the impact of a major medi
a expose profiling a company facing charges from multiple attorneys general and
class action litigation
Program Supervisor, Scanlon Corporate Communications, Chicago, IL, 2002 to 2006
- Recruited by firm principle to serve as a team leader in a $.75M communication
s firm specializing in financial services, technology and transaction support
- Actively involved in new business development and strategic planning
- Successfully mentored and oversaw 10 direct reports
- Played a key advisory role in numerous high-profile business transactions and
ongoing activities, including:
-- The $200M IPO of a top-ranked online brokerage, and acting as a deputy commun
ications advisor to its CEO
-- Strategic positioning for a global technology company leading to, during, an
d following its $100M IPO
-- Strategic positioning for a technology consulting company leading to, and du
ring, its $120M IPO
-- Preparatory initiatives related to a bankruptcy contingency for a major fina
ncial technology provider
Analyst, Ashton Partners, Chicago, IL, 2002
- Supported numerous client CFO and CEO-driven communications initiatives, inclu
ding executive transitions, strategic shifts in business strategy and multi-year
program plans
- Successfully provided public affairs counsel and Congressional reconnaissance
on proposed corporate-owned life insurance (COLI) legislation
Account Executive, MWW Group, Chicago, IL, 1999 to 2001
- Co-led coalition building efforts for federal tort reform legislation, the lar
gest bill of its kind in history (until that time) to receive bi-partisan suppor
t in both the House and Senate
- Successfully developed and implemented grassroots and advocacy programs in sup
port of the $14B tobacco settlement, and worked with state and local public heal
th officials on creation and execution of the Illinois state program
- Successfully worked with leaders at the Illinois Commerce Commission to develo
p and launch a public information campaign supporting statewide electric deregul
ation
Additional Related Experience
Intern, Abbott Laboratories, Department of Corporate Public Affairs, Abbott Park
, IL, 1997
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Journalism and Mass Communication (minor: marketing and manage
ment)
Drake University, Des Moines, IA
Graduated May 1999