Michael Cech Email & Phone Number

Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

I host and produce the podcast "Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut's Beaten Path." It's currently ranked among the top 5-10% globally and features professionally edited interviews with fascinating expert guests on different aspects of Connecticut's fascinating and extensive history. New episodes are posted every Thursday. The show is available directly at: https://AmazingTalesCT.Podbean.com and wherever you get your podcasts. I also make frequent public appearances speaking about historical topics.

Danbury, Connecticut, United States

Each week, I made a live appearance as the featured guest on "The Place You Live with Mike Allen," telling stories about historically significant events and the people behind them, drawing on my past experience in journalism and radio broadcasting. Appearances were made using my long-time air name of Mike Allen.

Florham Park, Nj

Created and expanded department which implemented a major customer-centricity initiative, organizing the 12 siloed businesses of the world’s largest chemical company to present a 1-company face to its largest and most strategic customers.• Recognized architect of BASF’s approach to implementing customer-centricity policy across its independent businesses; 70+ strategic customers covered by approach. Program was developed for North America and subsequently expanded for use globally by the Board.• Produced $100MM+ in new business for BASF North America over 10 years by implementing Connecting the Dots® B2B events with Unilever (in England) and Boeing, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, Caterpillar, Ford, Cummins, Goodyear, 3M, Sealed Air, Cargill, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Arkema, JBS, and Ecolab (USA).• Developed global marketing tools (What BASF Does, QuickLead, and TECH CHECK); team earned global BASF Business Award in 2015. • Selected to speak to audiences internationally on customer management and B2B marketing topics.

Basel Area, Switzerland And Tarrytown, Ny

Supported Chief Technology Officer globally in communications, change management and B2B marketing efforts.• Invented Connecting the Dots® B2B marketing program to market company’s technology prowess to customers across various industries, producing tens of millions of dollars in new business through events with Toyota (Japan), Henkel (Germany), Coca-Cola and Lonza (Switzerland) and Ford, DuPont, Church & Dwight, and Kimberly Clark (USA).• Supervised communications and change management on a confidential basis for a global reorganization of research and development, conceiving, establishing, and implementing the Imagine the Future change management campaign; headed Communications-HR as member of senior management team in all facets of preparing the organization for change.• Enabled divestiture of a multi-billion-dollar Ciba business by successfully implementing a new code of conduct with all employees. Buyer had demanded code be implemented globally as a final deal closing condition. Prepared communications tools, traveled to 20 countries on four continents and successfully obtained concurrence of 20,000 employees in just four months, allowing divestment to conclude.

Basel, Switzerland

Deputy Global Communications Director overseeing financial, internal, and digital communications, media relations, and the global regional communicators network.• Administered communications and change management plan for confidential restructuring of entire company.• Created and oversaw change management project team that implemented CibaNet, an entirely new intranet concept which connected all 20,000 employees globally to a single platform for the first time in the company’s history, revolutionizing collaboration capabilities.• Ghostwriter for Chairman of the Board/CEO.• Drove continuous quality improvement by producing five, triple-bottom-line annual reports, including Ciba’s 1st global EHS report. • One of seven professionals to work on a new 10-year corporate strategy.

Basel, Switzerland

Strategically marketed company to financial analyst and media communities with events, roadshows, and speeches. • Conceived and implemented Products & Innovation Event, generating 500M Swiss franc increase in Ciba’s market cap (fueled by 13% share price increase) within several weeks of event.• Boosted company stock price with IR Roadshow Suitcase program, showcasing the latest market technologies and improving engagement with analysts.

Toms River, Nj

Administered media, government, and community relations revolving around remediation operations at major hazardous waste sites throughout the Northeast.• Successfully managed complex communications exercise at multiple-issue Superfund site; open communications approach resulted in federal EPA acceptance of company’s preferred clean-up recommendation; a plan also supported by community activists.• Coordinated company’s crisis communications planning and messaging during two-year, $2M federal CDC investigation into five cases of childhood brain cancer in same community as company’s Superfund site. Often served as company spokesman, including when investigation generated national media attention.

New City, Ny

Employed ingenuity and collaborative skills to lead, create and win acceptance for a $140M solid waste management strategy, providing a comprehensive solution to the County's long-term needs; developed County government department and oversaw creation of Rockland’s Solid Waste Management Plan.

Danbury, Ct

Defended city against plans to build regional trash-burning plant in Danbury, saving the city from severe blight at the targeted location and saving taxpayers $MMs in unneeded investments into a new plant and associated roadway upgrades.Controlled media and public relations messaging for the mayor of one of Connecticut’s largest cities. Prioritized policy initiatives. Developed comprehensive communications strategy, including news conferences, radio call-in program, cable TV show and targeted community appearances.

Danbury, Ct

Led News Department to numerous awards, anchored newscasts, hosted talk shows, and reported live on breaking news events. Inherited three-member team, which later expanded to nine. News programming was top revenue generator for the station. • Published in The New York Times and served as newscaster and documentary maker for Boston NPR affiliate WBUR. • Fought for 1st introduction of microphones into Connecticut courtrooms; hosted annual live political debates; produced investigative reports and commentary program, Allen’s Journal.