Loren Wassell

Current

Vice President at Standing Partnership

Past

Director, Communications at Anheuser-Busch
Director of Public Affairs at Monsanto Company
Public Affairs Director at Solutia, Inc.

Public Affairs Director at Monsanto Company
Executive Communications at Caterpillar Inc.
Publications Editor at Central Illinois Light Co.
Reporter/Editor/Columnist at Peoria Journal-Star

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Education

Lakeland College

Recommended

3 people have recommended Loren

Connections

284 connections

Industry

Public Relations and Communications

Websites

Loren Wassell’s Summary

• Effective, versatile, hands-on corporate and public relations professional with experience and achievement at Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto and Caterpillar.

• Improves images and builds relationships with industry, employees, investors, government and communities.

• Employee communications praised by Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence.

• Major experience handling contentious environmental, litigation and business issues with local, national and international news media.

Loren Wassell’s Specialties:

Proven expertise in:

• Strategic Positioning
• Community Relations
• Government Relations
• Executive Speechwriting
• Issues Management
• Crisis Communications
• Product/Service Marketing
• Employee Communications

Loren Wassell’s Experience

Vice President

Standing Partnership

(Public Relations and Communications industry)

October 2006 — Present (2 years 10 months)
Director, Communications

Anheuser-Busch

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; BUD; Food & Beverages industry)

August 2003 — October 2006 (3 years 3 months)

• Created speeches for senior executives, including quarterly employee business presentations.
• Provided communication strategies for sensitive business, legal and personnel issues.
• Managed financial media relations including earnings announcements and analyst meetings.
• Served as member of corporate-level issues management team.
• Led six-member team for internal communications and community relations for 12 U.S. breweries.
• Initiated new team role, developing media relationships and supporting marketing communications.
• Directed communications for hurricane relief activities, achieving 19 percent awareness in 10 days.
• Managed marketing communications for Budweiser in China, Mexico and other international markets.
• Managed communications for international issues and mergers and acquisitions.
• Led media relations for first contested takeover in China; efforts directly contributed to success.
Director of Public Affairs

Monsanto Company

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; MON; Biotechnology industry)

September 2000 — December 2002 (2 years 4 months)

• Led 11-member team for media relations, issues management, financial communications and marketing communications for world leader in agricultural biotechnology.
• Averted business damage from misconceptions about complex issues by organizing and using multifunctional rapid-response team to rapidly disseminate correct information.
• Prevented product rejection and global trade impact from product recall by effective communication to media and industry audiences.
• Collaborated with grower organizations, industry groups and other companies to manage issues and effectively communicate benefits of ethanol and biotechnology.
• Communicated New Monsanto Pledge to restore positive corporate image; public trust in Monsanto doubled following implementation.
Public Affairs Director

Solutia, Inc.

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Chemicals industry)

March 1997 — September 2000 (3 years 7 months)

• Led team for financial, corporate and internal/change and issue communications.
• Refocused annual report on deadline; focus groups affirmed convincing strategy message.
• Won balanced media coverage for volatile changes in retiree medical benefits that reduced liabilities by $750 million; managed issues including class-action lawsuit against retirees.
• Maintained good will when Monsanto spun off Solutia via outreach to state government and plant communities; saved $150,000 by retaining self-insured status for workers’ compensation.
• Created CEO-level issues and crisis management programs to set priorities and strategy; review process aided decision to divest business facing environmental challenges.
Public Affairs Director

Monsanto Company

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Chemicals industry)

June 1986 — March 1997 (10 years 10 months)

• Managed media and industry relations for successful launch of first biotech crops, including YieldGard corn.
• Supervised plant/community relations, environmental communications and state government relations for $4 billion operating unit with 25 plants in 16 states.
• Defused issues over toxic emissions and worst-case risk-management plans by developing “good neighbor” policies and communications for manufacturing plants.
• Led community relations team that overcame opposition to successfully build new plant.
• Worked with neighbors to win support for modified Superfund cleanup, saving $25 million.
• Sustained employee morale and commitment in “cash cow” business through multifaceted internal communications; program praised by Tom Peters, author of "In Search of Excellence."
• Developed executive speeches for board of directors, security analysts and customers; one presentation won board approval for $300 million restructuring.
Executive Communications

Caterpillar Inc.

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; CAT; Machinery industry)

1984 — 1985 (1 year)

• Developed executive communications for security analysts, annual meeting and annual report.
• Developed, wrote and edited internal publications and other employee communications.
Publications Editor

Central Illinois Light Co.

(Public Company; Utilities industry)

1982 — 1984 (2 years)

• Initiated monthly magazine and daily phone hotline report; also produced biweekly newsletter.
• Developed positioning and messages for utility’s diversification into unregulated businesses.
Reporter/Editor/Columnist

Peoria Journal-Star

(Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Newspapers industry)

1973 — 1982 (9 years)

• Covered city and state government.
• Wrote columns and editorials.
• Directed and assigned city desk reporters.
• Won Illinois Valley Press Club (Sigma Delta Chi chapter) awards for investigative and spot news reporting.