Karen Runtz

Corp. communicator reborn as small business writer/editor/web & social media strategist. Love woods, family, images, ideas.

Karen Runtz's Bio:

Karen Runtz's Experience:

• Manager, Communications Planning at Canada Post

  2009 - 2009

  Enhanced organizational communications. Assessed communications needs and proposed strategies, key messages and best channels for audiences. Delivered high quality end-to-end service for challenging number of high-profile projects and initiatives. Effectively positioned and led the delivery of multi-stage print and online communications to successfully launch a multi-million dollar HR delivery model to 72,000 employees during a period of heavy cost-cutting. Defined and managed highly sensitive communication campaigns to reduce employee accidents affecting the bottom line. Achievement of corporate target anticipated. Oversaw fulfillment of demanding range and number of targeted deliverables, tapping new avenues that included a Facebook site and consumer telephony messaging. Fostered excellent relations with clients, demonstrating flexibility and resiliency to meet their needs under pressure.

• Manager, Writing Services; Manager, Intrapost at Canada Post

  2008 - 2009

  Executed projects within Writing Services during a restructuring of Communications while continuing to lead the integration and alignment of content on the corporate intranet, Intrapost. Engineered creation of a Healthy Workplace site to consolidate and align 10 disparate sites with the company's health and safety focus. Provided analysis and counsel to drive employees to key corporate sites. By mid-year, visits to Business Results site were up 122%, while the president's site achieved a new high for unique visitors. Visits to Intrapost rose a healthy 19%. Devised new organizational structure to meet expanded operations, defining and distributing 242 intranet tasks into new roles. Work model adopted. Guest speaker at two national conferences on corporate intranets. Advised on, authored and edited multiple texts, many of a high profile, including Presidentials and corporate positions during labour negotiations.

• Manager, Intrapost/eCommunications at Canada Post

  2004 - 2007

  Managed corporate intranet as primary national communication channel in support of employee needs and strategic corporate direction. Oversaw new content and applications in line with mandate and budget, some 1.2 million in 2007. Managed five electronic publications in both official languages. Team lead for five officers. Assessed intranet's usability and related contribution to bottom line. Ranked high in top 25% with best intranets, recording substantial productivity savings--$650,000 on top two tasks alone. Overhauled superVISION site to optimize value as key operations tool. Doubled usage, with 90% reporting time/productivity savings, equalling some $267 to $380 per supervisor. Effectively managed national communications audit to assess effectiveness of communications programs and vehicles. Identified need for and created popular new online vehicle--"Intr@post at a glance"-- to improve reach and understanding of key messages. Remains high in top-10 visited destinations. Managed four other targeted electronic vehicles to high standards of quality and timeliness. Researched and authored governance and internal decision-making practices defining roles and responsibilities for 1) managing internal communications and 2) publishing intranet web content. Practices adopted by company. Guided successful integration of enterprise-level content management system and search platform, hugely improving quality across a complex environment. Visits to intranet increased almost 300% since 2002. Guest speaker at four national conferences on corporate intranets/communications

• Manager, Intranet at Canada Post

  2000 - 2003

  Managed growth and development of Intrapost as primary national communication channel in support of employee needs and strategic corporate direction. Team lead for three officers. Transformed Canada Post's intranet, Intrapost, from a local prototype to an industry-recognized business-driven communications channel. Achieved buy-in from executive and employees, rating the content as useful, credible and up to date. Created a new collaborative model for a managed integration of company-wide content in an organization where systems and processes were still-function based. Equipped and enabled some 30 functional reps to be brand ambassadors for the new channel. Managed development and launch of intranet redesign in 2002 to reflect new corporate branding and deliver easier and faster access to information. Achieved productivity savings of more than $1 million. Devised web site to break new ground for the president of Canada Post. Became transformational platform for direct exchange of employee ideas. A top 10 site. Introduced electronic survey tool for timely and strategic measurement and analysis of key corporate activities and contributing some $300,000 in cost savings/avoidance each year. Guest speaker at three national conferences on corporate intranets/communications.

• Manager, Targeted Communications at Canada Post

  1994 - 1999

  Managed an internal business television (BTV) network, videoconferencing, video production, and three electronic publications, Supervised three officers. Key Achievements: Devised, introduced and managed a bilingual electronic news service allowing the corporation to effectively target subgroups or all electronically enabled employees simultaneously, saving the company substantial time and money, and putting information directly in the hands of those who need it. Devised, introduced and managed three electronic publications with a high level of reader acceptance.

• Senior Writer/Editor at Canada Post

  1988 - 1994

  Began Employee Communications career as feature writer for national print publications, then given responsibilities for three print publications. Launched and managed award-winning tabloid to connect and recognize Canada Post retirees. Recognized with a prestigious Canada Post Silver Postmark award for leadership in championing new opportunities and programs for this audience. Transformed Manager publication into Interaction newsletter to align with new team leader approach. Conceived, wrote and managed popular Centre News for multi-million dollar head office consolidation project. Communications conveyed using appropriate language and tone in English and French, visually realized for maximum impact and clarity of message, produced & distributed cost-effectively

• Director, Marketing and Communications at Sunbelt Business Brokers Canada

  April 2010

  Strategic counsel on marketing and communication, leveraging social media channels to promote Sunbelt Canada brand, raise company profile and visits to Sunbelt Canada website to generate.awareness, referrals and leads. Development and management of Sunbelt Canada blog, newsletter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Development of articles for business publications. Editing, layout, publishing and promotion of books in print and electronic formats.

• Small business writer/editor/web and social media strategist at Independent

  January 2010

  Small business writer/editor/web and social media strategist

Karen Runtz's Education:

• Carleton University

  1969 – 1972
  Bachelor of Arts
  Concentration: English

Karen Runtz's Interests & Activities: