Christopher Barger Email & Phone Number

Toledo, Oh, Us

Montreal, Quebec, Ca

Responsible for developing, managing, assessing, and communicating global communications programs for Syntax. I'm developing strategic relationships at all levels of the business to deliver a communications strategy focused on our offerings and our people. Work closely with senior executives and global business teams on our internal communications strategy encompassing both broad global messages and regional business updates -- both “how” we communicate as well as “what” is communicated.I creatively share the Syntax story externally to media, analyst, and customer audiences. Manage our Global Public Relations agencies to establish a media relations program including strategy, budget, tactics, KPIs and reporting.

Royal Oak, Mi, Us

Served as consultant to emerging PR and creative agency, on client proposals and engagements and on rebranding and positioning the agency for future growth. Areas of focus included communications, branding and storytelling, key messaging, strategy/strategic guidance, creative review and support, strategic media support and media relations consulting, presentation coaching and support, and copywriting/copy editing.

Toledo, Oh, Us

Develop and execute communication strategies and projects for the Composites business of Owens Corning, including internal communications strategies to engage employees, communicate goals and milestones, and enhance leader connection, impact, and reputation. In addition, I developed and led external communications, managing messaging in the media (traditional and social media), working with our executives on media opportunities (traditional and social), and protecting and enhancing the Owens Corning brand.

Southfield, Michigan, Us

* Spearhead 7 direct report communications professionals in executing comprehensivebranding, media relations, PR, and internal and executive communications strategies.* Drive communications from a tactical execution adjunct function as a key strategiccounselor to all units of the business.* Control a 7-figure budget without exceeding forecast.Achievements:* Translated brand messaging to an audience-centric model, emphasizing value to thecustomer rather than internal business units, products, and services.* Refined the company’s on-site event branding strategy, increasing brand awarenessamong manufacturing audiences by 2 points and increased NPS by 1 point amongaudiences that have interacted with SME.* Directed the securing of a feature story in The New York Times about the efforts of the company’sEducation Foundation; highest profile media hit SME has achieved in years.* Relaunched SME.org, with clearer navigation, better user experience, and a moreconsistent content strategy; site traffic, page depth, and time on site all improvedsubstantially.

Austin, Tx, Us

Established and managed an independent communications and marketing consultancywith 4 partners, building communications and marketing strategies based on clearerunderstanding of customer behaviors and expectations.* Optimized customer service through analytics, systems integration, and customer recordupdates. * Conducted trend-based analysis on the futures of various industries (e.g. retail,automotive) to generate insights that were well-received by clients and digital outlets.* Delivered tailored digital strategy recommendations to clients like Walmart, GE Digital,and McDonald’s, emphasizing audience needs and interests; implemented customerrelationship platforms that provided insights into these needs.* Supported a New York-based automotive dealer in developing and deploying a game-changing 24-hour service model, including home delivery test drives, app-basedscheduling, and Google Voice service appointments.

San Jose, Ca, Us

* Led the digital training program for the entire 80-office global PN network after Voce waspurchased by Porter Novelli.* Facilitated in-person training for 100+ of the agency's employees in 30+ officesworldwide.* Counseled some of the network’s biggest clients, including Disney Parks, PlayStation, HP,and the Almond Board of California.Achievements:* Aided the Disney Parks social media team in developing and publishing 8.6K articles forthe Disney Parks blog over the course of 4 years.* Formulated reputation management strategy for the Almond Board of California duringthe 2011-2017 California drought; secured 100+ industry-defending articles, radiointerviews, and television segments; the YouTube series highlighting the industry’s waterefficiency efforts was highlighted by several California media outlets.* Solicited by the World Health Organization in 2012 to provide direction and guidance toWHO as they developed their social media program, including a Twitter program toinform global audiences about bird flu outbreaks.

Detroit, Michigan, Us

Recruited to build the company’s social and digital communications efforts, includinghandling reputation management and crisis mitigation online during the bankruptcy crisisof 2008 – 2010. Developed and launched the company’s first social and online communications program.Achievements:* Attracted 6M+ corporate content views through the YouTube program “I Got Shotgun”;created videos supporting federal bridge loans that achieved 300K+ views in one day andgenerated traditional media coverage from CNN and other majors.* Expanded GM’s pioneering FastLane blog, which at its peak was linked to by 500+automotive sites and secured traditional media coverage (e.g. The New York Times, TheWall Street Journal, U.S. News, The Financial Times, BusinessWeek, USA Today,PRWeek, Business 2.0) with the majority of this coverage conveying positive impressionsof GM and the blog.* Headed corporate online rapid response and communications strategy surroundingFederal bridge loans in October 2008.* Cultivated a blogger relations program that established relationships with ~1K bloggersin 2 years, generating 2.5K posts regarding GM vehicles.* Designed an “immerse and disperse” staffing strategy, placing 12+ GM Communicationsteam members on the corporate team for 12 – 18 months and then assigning them tobuild similar social programs within sub-brands or other functional teams.

Armonk, New York, Ny, Us

Executed a wide range of communications functions, including media relations, internalcommunications, and executive communications. Built a well-reputed IBM program.Achievements:* Promoted in 2005 from the ranks to lead IBM’s foray into what would become socialmedia. Under my guidance, more than 1000 IBM employees established blogs to shareexpertise and IBM thought leadership, and the company podcast I hosted received morethan 150,000 subscribers in 2006.* Sought as a consultant on blogging and podcasting by Fortune 500 companies (e.g. GM,Deloitte, Graybar Electric, Ford, Best Buy, Johnson & Johnson) and the US government.* Selected in 2005 to direct the strategy and execution team for the IBM Software Group’s10th anniversary observation.* Participated in the development and publication of the IBM Annual Report in 2003 and2006.* Authored articles for the executives’ bylines, which appeared in The Washington Post,CNet, Washington Business Journal, ZDNet, and Wireless Week, among others.

M.S., Public Relations

Bachelor’S Degree, History