Gerald Baron
Building Trust During the Worst of Times
Corporations call it crisis communication or reputation management, but it is all about keeping and building trust. Crises are events that are usually unexpected and threaten the reputation of the organization or its leaders. Churches and Christian organizations have special challenges because of the high standards of moral behavior expected of the leaders. But crisis events offer unique opportunities to build trust if handled properly. This presentation will focus on how to identify the risks, how to prepare to respond quickly and effectively, keys to effective response, and understanding how your organization will change after the crisis is over. It will include discussion of the technology many organizations now use to collaborate and communicate quickly with a variety of critical audiences.
About the presenter: Gerald Baron
Gerald Baron is the Founder and CEO of PIER Systems, the leading provider of crisis communication information technology. He remains president of Baron & Company, a marketing and public relations firm. Previously, he was a regional magazine publisher, co-founder of a successful vertical market software company and a university professor. He holds an MA in Communications from Wheaton College and the Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) from Trinity Western University.
PIER (Public Information and Emergency Response) has been adopted within the US Coast Guard and many leading oil companies, as well as industry leaders such as Boeing, Allstate and WestFarm Foods. PIER has been used effectively in many major events including Hurricane Katrina, the Selandang Ayu sinking in Alaska, the BP Texas City refinery accident, and the G8 Summit in Georgia. As a communication responder to the Olympic Pipeline accident and other significant events, Mr. Baron recognized the need for a solution for companies to meet the challenges of the instant news and Internet-dominated world.
Mr. Baron has written three books, including Now is Too Late2: Corporate Survival in an Era of Instant News, published in 2006. He is a frequent speaker at national public relations and industry conferences.
This material is from a breakout session presented at MinistryCOM 2007.
Terrell Sanders is the president of Main Street Enterprises, a web development and consulting firm based in Oklahoma City. He has helped churches and non-profits with technology and marketing for over 20 years.He "accidentally" founded MinistryCOM in 2005. 