AECOM Technology Corporation
Company: AECOM Technology Corporation, New York, NY
Company Description: AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. With 45,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications Department of the Year
Nomination Title: AECOM Technology Corporation
1. Tell the story about what this nominated department achieved since January 1 2009 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is $6-billion Fortune 500 provider of professional-technical
and management-support services – specializing in engineering, architecture,
design, planning, science and project/construction management. AECOM’s 45,000
employees serve clients in over 100 countries, covering all seven continents.
In 2009, AECOM Corporate Communications seized the opportunity created by
a “perfect storm” of three concurrent critical business developments requiring
a dynamic global communications strategy.
1) Global reorganization, including a brand migration
2) Integration of four acquisitions – including a complex one in Eastern Europe
3) Global re-brand
That these business developments occurred in a global recession only
exacerbated the requirement for an “above-and-beyond effort” by the team to
deliver a comprehensive communications program targeted to multi-tiered
internal and external global audiences.
1. Global Reorganization and Brand Migration
AECOM implemented a matrix organizational structure – balancing business lines
and geographies – for its global operations in 2009. This included a migration
from 15+ legacy brands to a common AECOM brand. Corporate Communications
spearheaded this two-step process with customized multi-language communications
tailored to internal and external audiences for each of its business lines and
geographies. This included:
• Leadership webcast for 1,500 leaders beginning at 2 a.m. EDT
• Customized letters and talking points for leaders use with staff and clients
• 100+ calls, webcasts and meetings for staff – and all associated customized
materials
2. Four Acquisitions
AECOM acquired four firms in 2009: Savant Engineering; LAN Engineering; Ellerbe
Becket; and SSI Services. For each of these transactions, Corporate
Communications coordinated global external PR, internal onboarding
communications (translated welcome packets, Web sites, etc.), client outreach,
and brand and organizational integration.
3. Global Re-Brand
In November 2009, AECOM unveiled its new global brand. Corporate
Communications led this effort, in partnership with its global counterparts and
regional business leaders. Key to this success were over 100 in-person,
webcast and telephone meetings with these partners – all held during various
times of the day and night in North America so as to respect the schedules of
those on other continents.
Deliverables for the global re-brand included new:
• Logo
• Voice/messaging platform tailored to multi-culture concerns
• Global corporate brochure
• 5 Geography brochures
• 10 Global Business Line brochures
• External Web site (award winning)
• Intranet site
• All internal communications materials
• All HR materials
• Business cards for 45,000 employees
• Consultant resumes for staff
• Thousands of new documents, materials reflecting new brand
• Signage for 500+ offices worldwide
• Global advertising campaign
• 2 Corporate Videos
• Annual Report
2009 Results
In addition to rising to meet the challenges of the communications “perfect
storm,” AECOM Corporate Communications supported AECOM’s ongoing business
success in the face of the global recession. This included:
• 18% revenue increase
• 27% net income from continuing operations increase
• 106-place improvement on Fortune 500 – to #352
• Highlighted by Fortune as one of only 23 firms to record double-digit sales
and profit growth
• Voluntary turnover goal of under 10%
• Winning or maintaining eight of the largest projects on the planet
2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
1. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/snapshots/11420.html
2. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2010/movers/50rose.html
3.
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/fortune/1004/gallery.fortune500_recession_big_profits.fortune/19.html
4. http://greenrankings.newsweek.com/companies/view/aecom-technology
5. http://www.aecom.com
6. http://pr.aecom.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=211994&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1345996&highlight
7. http://pr.aecom.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=211994&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1325686&highlight
8. http://pr.aecom.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=211994&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1283417&highlight
Other supporting documents are available at
http://thestevies.com/ABA10Attachments/AECOM/
3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated organization/department:
Paul Gennaro is SVP and Chief Communications Officer for AECOM. In this role,
he leads all aspects of global corporate communications. He joined AECOM in
March of 2006 and has led corporate communications in support of dramatic
growth, included the doubling of the workforce, the tripling of revenue, and
the execution of over 20 acquisitions. Previously, he managed all global
corporate and marketing communications for Johns Manville, a subsidiary of
Berkshire Hathaway. He has also held communications leadership roles for
Ingersoll-Rand, Dell and American Express. He began his career as a journalist
and public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy.