Gail Polzin Email & Phone Number

Greater Chicago Area

Designed and executed internal campaigns on topics ranging from customer satisfaction and employee recognition to product launches and cyber security. Most campaigns were focused on one of these themes:Employee engagement: It’s not enough to push out messaging. To achieve management’s goals, communicators must understand what information employees care about and put it in channels that will reach them. At United, our team used a multichannel strategy to give employees a richer experience no matter what channel they chose to engage with: intranet, mobile app, email, video, digital signage or face-to-face meetings. Thanks to a concerted effort to produce better content, write compelling headlines and respond to employees’ questions and concerns, we increased our online company news readership 63 percent and employee comment volume 1,700 percent in about three years.Reputation and trust: Stories about great employees and responsible stewardship help position a company as a good corporate citizen. We focused on finding and telling brand-building stories, such as the flight attendant who kindly and patiently assisted a customer with dementia and how United helps employees make a positive impact in their communities through Eco-Skies grants. I had primary responsibility for the Corporate Social Responsibility report.Issues communication: To build support for our application to fly to Cuba, I found several Cuban-American employees willing to tell their stories: how they left homes and relatives behind and how eager they were to return. We leveraged those stories internally and externally and won approval for the new routes.When Ebola virus dominated the news, flight crews and airport staff were understandably frightened. By giving them frequent, accurate updates on the virus and the precautions we were taking, we reassured our employees and earned their trust. Our dedicated Ebola intranet page had more than 61,000 employee views in the first 10 weeks.

• Strategic plans, articles, executive messages, news releases and marketing collateral for such clients as Walgreens, PepsiAmericas, Focused Health Solutions and NorthShore University HealthSystem. • Communications adviser to Kay Hoogland's election campaign: media-trained the candidate and assisted with message strategy and direct mail pieces. • Pro bono work for YWCA Lake County includes developing a social media strategy, writing/producing/voicing a capabilities video, and media relations support.

Recruited by chief executive to lead communications strategy, manage internal and external communications, and synchronize communications from the various business units. One direct and five dotted line reports.• Developed an organization-wide crisis communications protocol. • Created surveys and facilitated focus groups to assess the information needs, attitudes and perceptions of leadership and employees. • Improved communication by reinstating face-to-face management meetings, increasing substantive, business-related information in the employee newsletter and leading a redesign of the intranet.

Originally hired in employee communications role; ultimately directed a department of nine with overall responsibility for external and internal communications, community relations, executive communications, web content and marketing communications support. Reported to SVP Corporate Relations and COO (2004-2005).• Led change communications surrounding a successful three-year, $35 million conversion to electronic medical records. Usage increased from zero to 100% in less than two years. • Developed and executed merger communications plan that won an IABC Spectra Award, Healthcare Marketing Report Gold Award, ENH Innovation Award and ENH Leadership Award.• Spokesperson for inquiries regarding lawsuits and other sensitive matters. • Reengineered community relations function to be strategic and systemic in building partnerships and strong visibility in the community. • Sole responsibility for writing and producing Annual Reports, which received an IABC Spectra Award and two Illinois Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations Pinnacle Awards.

With colleagues in Europe, I developed and executed employee communications during acquisitions of companies in three countries, the subsequent restructuring and the company’s simultaneous initial public stock offering. Responsibilities also included managing company publications and writing news releases.