Chris Van Guilder Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis, Mn, Us

Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States

Define and execute initiatives to provide an industry-leading customer experience, a core pillar of Starkey’s success for over 50 years. Leading at the intersection of operational and market-development teams, collaborate with leaders throughout Starkey to help ensure customer needs are infused into all aspects of the organization.Enable Starkey’s world-class customer service teams, consisting of over 135 dedicated professionals, to protect and exceed Starkey's mission to serve its customers better than anyone else.Responsible for market development alignment and modernizing the overall customer experience for existing and new global customers through a balance of digital innovation and the human touch. Use a metrics and results-driven approach along with leveraging Starkey’s culture and rich history of service excellence to reduce customer effort and strengthen bonds through every interaction.

Eden Prairie, Mn

Work in an executive-level position to advise the President & CEO while executing change management and strategic initiatives to positively impact market positioning. Manage $50+ million in annual operating and capital expenses, oversee the President & CEO Office and assigned departments, assist with C-Suite recruitment, and help leaders be more productive and successful. • Provide strategic counsel to the President & CEO and C-Suite leaders; build relationships to enhance and execute company strategies; create dashboards to track KPIs to inform decision making.• Set and manage the operating rhythm of the company through planning of global employee town halls, leadership meetings, budget and talent planning, and market growth strategy reviews. • Lead initiatives on behalf of CEO and participate in executive-level work groups, such as CEO Critical Action Team, Product Roadmap Council, Market Development Leadership Team, Global Management Team, and COVID-19 Steering Committee (chair).• Collaborate with Chief Strategy Officer to shape and execute the company’s strategic plan. Ensure strategic objectives are aligned with long-range financial plan, market conditions, and competitive landscape.• Executive leader of the global Customer Service, Real Estate, Facilities, and Safety departments, totaling 135 people. Clarify priorities and execute strategies to improve the customer and employee experience while managing budgets and personnel. • Oversee global facility redesign and capital improvement, leading construction and architectural teams while managing up to $10MM in annual expenses to modernize facilities. • Routinely take on assigned interim leadership roles of departments undergoing transition.• Author CEO, C-Suite, and company-wide communications. Create executive leadership presentations, present in employee town halls, and craft PR and crisis response plans.• Regularly travel to any of 28 global facilities for customer and employee meetings and events.

Eden Prairie, Mn

Supervised the operations of 10 customer experience representatives and project managers, who were responsible for planning and executing over 100 customer-facing training events annually. Oversaw the planning and creation of marketing pieces, communication and public relations strategies, and campaigns for upcoming events. • Twice served as the lead project manager for the Hearing Innovation Expo in Las Vegas, managing an $8 million budget and organizing vendors, guest speakers, and 300 staff members to create an event attended by over 3,000 global customers.• Managed a total annual events budget of $5 million and provided a measurable return on the investment. • Promoted to supervisory role in August 2014.

Fargo, North Dakota Area

Managed a team responsible for planning, creating, and releasing hundreds of press releases, advisories, opinion pieces, speeches, and internal messages, ensuring all communications had a positive impact. Led press communication efforts as the official spokesman and primary media contact, managing the campaign narrative by pitching stories and mitigating negative press.• Designed and executed a $7 million budget for paid, earned ads to appear on social media, TV, and other media formats; aggressively combatted an unprecedented amount of money being spent on the election by out-of-state groups. • Prepared the candidate for interviews, debates, and speeches to maintain a positive public image.

St. Paul, Mn

Official majority caucus spokesman, strategist, and media contact for 41 elected officials, directing the officials’ communications strategy, messaging, and legislative affairs planning. Managed the operations of three staff members.• Resolved complex crisis media issues and media relations for caucus members and leadership staff. • Coordinated numerous media availabilities, press conferences, and public events.

St. Paul, Mn

Served as the media contact for an assigned group of 10 elected senators within the majority caucus, authoring their press releases, media advisories, opinion pieces, newsletters, and speeches. • Produced the first-ever caucus-led radio program, achieving statewide syndication and opening new opportunities for elected officials to communicate with constituents.• Trained the majority caucus on how to effectively use both traditional and emerging media formats to engage with constituents.

Minnetonka, Mn

Oversaw the media plan for the campaign, including efforts made on social media and media releases. Communicated clearly with members of the media as the primary media contact and campaign spokesman. • Maintained the campaign website and social media pages, ensuring all content was accurate, engaging, and promoting the goals of the campaign.• Drafted press releases, advisories, opinion pieces, speeches, and other communication pieces.

Minnetonka, Mn

Managed and planned campaign operations taking place throughout the state, including over 500 candidate appearances, events, messaging, and media opportunities. Recruited a network of supporters through campaign messaging and volunteer initiatives.• Secured a major-party endorsement, despite having 12 challengers, by collaborating with campaign leadership to organize 100 delegate recruitment initiatives.

Minnetonka, Minnesota

Acted as a liaison between business leaders and IT to deliver reusable product solutions, improve operational efficiency, and recorded and organized thousands of customer requirements, details, and shifting priorities while meeting strict deadlines. Performed rigorous testing on new processes and products to ensure quality and effectiveness.

Collegeville, Mn

• Managed a team of 15-20 student ambassadors to achieve annual giving goals.• Increased organization performance for three consecutive years through student work development and operational improvements.• Promoted the university as a professional student representative at alumni, social and athletic events.

St. Cloud, Minnesota Area

• Assisted all departments with the legal work of gathering and disclosing evidence, witness and victim contact and trial support.• Researched, analyzed and assembled data from multiple sources into organized written, verbal and visual presentation.• Represented the office of the county attorney at community events.

Ba, Political Science, Economics

Activities and Societies: SJU Senate, Student Ambassador, and The Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy & Civic Engagement founding.

Political Science And Government

Activities and Societies: Australian rules football team president