Rick Ouellette Email & Phone Number

Memphis, Tennessee, Us

Lead the communications for the Catholic Diocese of Memphis that consists of 46 parishes and 13 Catholic Schools in West Tennessee with more than 70,000 parishioners. The Diocese respectfully serves all regardless of their religious beliefs, socio-economic status, or ethnic background. Please visit the Diocese’s Facebook, Instagram, Website, and Schools. The Catholic Diocese is a double 2024 Award Winner of the Catholic Media Association’s “Best Book Published by a Diocese” for our Commemorative History and Churches Book (First Place) and Illustrated Family and History Book (Second Place). The books were chosen among 196 U.S. Dioceses, including 32 U.S. Archdioceses.

Lead more than 20 direct reports as a member of the senior leadership team for International Paper’s largest business, Industrial Packaging. Responsibilities include leading executive, employee and community communications, strengthening and repositioning the business through several major mergers and acquisitions, enhancing customer, media and government relations and directing all other aspects of communications for the global business. The business is 70 percent of the company’s earnings and revenue ($22 billion) with more than half of IP’s 53,000 employees in the business across 225 locations worldwide. On a daily basis, the role involves working with c-suite executive leaders to develop and implement strategic communications plans, grow the business with customers and achieve the best safety and earnings results.

Led a team responsible for providing strategic communications advice and support to International Paper’s distribution business, xpedx. Delivered a continuing flow of clear and concise messaging on issues and opportunities to 10,000 team members across 200 sites. Worked with the business President and other c-suite leaders to develop and implement a transformation plan to restructure and enhance the business, keep employees fully engaged in the business while repositioning our business brand, grow with customers and achieve great results.

Led a team responsible for providing strategic communications advice and support to International Paper’s Papers, Pulp, Coated Paperboard and Foodservice businesses. Delivered a continuing flow of aligned messaging on global issues and opportunities to 8,000 employees across 12 paper mills. Worked with c-suite leaders to develop and implement communications plans to grow the businesses with customers and achieve strong results.

Led a team responsible for providing employee communications, community engagement and media relations to support International Paper’s Forestry, Wood Products, Chemicals and Oil & Gas operations, and led the global Sustainability messaging across the company. Worked with c-suite leaders to develop and implement communications plans for acquisitions and divestitures with private companies, government agencies and conversation groups. The communications efforts helped lead to the largest forestry land sale since the Louisiana Purchase and generated excellent earnings for future transformation plans.