Walter Morris
21 Public Street • Wilton,
CT 06830 • 860-722-1771 wmorris@gmail.com
SUMMARY
HR
executive focused on organizational effectiveness. Demonstrated
expertise in leadership development, executive coaching, team analysis,
diagnosis, and interventions, digital transformations, business process
reengineering, strategic communications, project management, soft skills
training, and the management of change.
Dynamic practitioner
able to harness persuasive communications and people skills for
consensus. Adept at developing people at all levels and creating
dedicated high performance teams. Extensive experience leading
transformational change.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
HILTON HOTELS &
RESORTS
Hospitality leader with more than 1,200 properties and 180,400
associates worldwide.
Associate Director, Change Strategy 2014 - Present
§ Created and implemented change management, communications, and training strategies for global sales transformation
§ Led the people change aspects of global human resources systems change initiatives
§ Developed change, training, and communication plans, stakeholder and change impact analyses
§ Developed strategic communications and leadership alignment activities that ensured organizational adoption
§ Led qualitative research process to enhance the adoption of a new business development tool
§ Developed survey design, facilitated focus groups, and performed qualitative data analysis
§ Developed the future state operating model for the Agility Center of Excellence (ACE)
§ Created a framework for service delivery, defined a new engagement model, and developed new service offerings
§ Developed and implemented team activities to enhance the effectiveness of the change team
§ Facilitated the delivery of a DiSC Personal Profile SystemTM workshop and mentored teammates
§ Achieved top rating at first performance review
PricewaterhouseCoopers,
LLP
Leading management consulting, technology, and outsourcing company
with more than 323,000 employees worldwide.
Human Capital Manager, Talent & Organizational Effectiveness 2011 - 2014
§ Led the change management, communications, and training activities for global human resource transformations
§ Led the change management work stream for global Workday implementations
§ Designed and implemented global shared services centers
§ Led engagements on change management, branding, training, communications, and leadership engagement strategies
§ Managed training and communications for organizational cultural change
§ Managed the Accenture core project team and coached client project leadership to enhance effectiveness
§ Mentored practitioners to enhance engagement and develop core consulting skills
§ Created marketing materials and thought leadership to communicate Accenture’s service offerings to the market
§ Prepared presentations and proposals to support the sales process
§ Participated in orals presentations resulting in the award of two long term consulting engagements
§ Planned and facilitated an annual national conference with an industry specific client group
§ Created the North American Higher Education Software as a Service (SaaS) practitioner development group
§ Received written commendations from Accenture Managing Directors and client Senior Executives
BLUE SHIELD HEALTH
SYSTEM
Physician-led
health care system of more than 14,000 employees, spanning 43 counties and serving 2.6 million people
Specialist,
Organizational Development 2010 - 2011
§ Planned and implemented organizational effectiveness, performance management, and leadership initiatives
§ Performed diagnostic interviews and assessments to facilitate successful team interventions
§ Developed reports identifying performance gaps and implementation plans detailing recommendations for improvement
§ Created and delivered targeted trainings and led performance improvement initiatives resulting in high performing teams
§ Designed and implemented an organization-wide leadership development needs assessment
§ Led system-wide employee engagement initiative from vendor selection to survey design, analysis, and recommendations
§ Developed and delivered training and communications for the implementation of an online system for 1,500 end users
§ Led the redesign and implementation of the New Employee Orientation Program
§ Streamlined onboarding activities and enhance employee engagement
§ Created and implemented mentorship and leadership development programs for physician leaders and business partners
§ Provided executive coaching to physician leaders and business partners
§ Administered assessment tools including the DDI 360° Leadership Review and the DiSC Personal Profile SystemTM
§ Received top rating and salary increase at six month performance review
BAIN CONSULTING
Top rated professional services firm with more than 80,000
professionals providing technology, strategy and operations, and human capital
consulting services.
Consultant, Human Capital & Organization 2007 - 2010
§ Developed and executed communications, change, and training plans for statewide information system with 5,000 users
§ Created strategic communications and assisted with requirements and user acceptance testing sessions
§ Managed four integrated project teams with a total of 25 clients and consultants
§ Evaluated the effectiveness of change management activities and presented results to leadership
§ Created organizational assessment surveys, analyzed quantitative and qualitative data, and presented recommendations
§ Facilitated visioning workshops to develop business processes aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives
§ Facilitated new business development and led technology activities including project management and issue resolution
§ Mentored Deloitte practitioners to develop core consulting skills
§ Led the National Culture Practitioner Development team
§ Created multimedia marketing materials that differentiated Deloitte in the Health and Human Services marketplace
§ Performed research to identify industry trends and strategically position product offerings to satisfy market need
§ Achieved highest performance rating and selected for early promotion
KP ARCHITECTURE
& DESIGN PARTNERS
Architectural firm providing commercial and residential design and
construction management services.
Administration/Marketing 2002 - 2004
§ Led project management, marketing, and public relations activities
§ Prepared office communications including proposals, marketing materials, and contract correspondence
§ Successfully managed large scale commercial architectural projects
EMERITUS HEALTH PLAN
Not-for-profit health maintenance organization (HMO) serving 300,000
members.
Customer Service Representative 2001 - 2002
§ Facilitated claims resolution
§ Completed a six week customer service training program
§ Achieved the highest accuracy and efficiency rating on the customer service team
HERITAGE CUSTOM
HOMES, INC.
Custom home builder providing residential design/build services.
Project Management/Customer Relationship Management 1985 - 1995
§ Developed processes to relay information to the builder, architect, subcontractors, and clients in a timely manner
§ Managed high end residential construction projects
EDUCATION
BA Organization Studies Cornell University GPA 4.0
Project Management Ohio State University GPA 4.0
Diploma Nursing
Program Delphi School of Nursing GPA
3.8
CARMELLA MONTESSANO
1639
Bonaparte Street West, Vancouver BC P7P 1B4 |
716.836.0808 carmellam@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/carmellamonetesana1
RETAIL EXECUTIVE: STORE DESIGN, VISUAL MERCHANDISING, MARKETING
a Expanded
Prada from 11 stores to 151 across Canada and the United States.
a Expert in branding, project
management, budgeting, and team leadership.
a Highly skilled in AutoCAD 2008
LT and Microsoft Office.
a Fluent in English French and Hindi.
PRADA COUTURE LTD, 1996–2011
DIRECTOR OF STORE DESIGN Jan
2006 – Apr 2011
· Oversaw all aspects of new store design,
existing store renovations, and visual presentation in Canada
and the US including interior design, exterior design, signage, in-house fixture design, window displays, POP materials, and monthly and
bi-weekly marketing and merchandising initiatives.
· Planned and managed all marketing
campaigns in North America as the marketing and branding chair. Oversaw
campaign schedules, product offerings, green initiatives, production,
logistics, sample kits, print
materials (English/French), windows/POP, trade shows, press events, and
in-store training.
· Contributed to strategic planning and overall direction for North American operations as a member of
the senior management executive committee with the president/CEO, CFO, and
directors of retail, IT, finance,
public relations, manufacturing, and people relations. Reported directly to the president/CEO.
· Led a team of 6 direct reports supporting
both Canada and US operations including a store opening and
coordination manager, visual merchandising manager, windows (campaigns) and POP display manager, store/POP fixture production
manager, graphics and signage manager, and marketing coordinator.
Key Accomplishments
· Tripled the store count in North America from 48 to 151. Opened 29 new
stores in Canada and 74 in the US
including flagship, street front, shopping mall, airport, heritage building,
and Macy’s department store locations.
Scouted new sites with the president before the real estate department was
launched in 2008.
· Fully renovated 40 stores that opened
prior to 2006, including
21 in Canada and 19 in the United States.
Customized the design used in the UK to create a brand new concept for all new
and renovated stores in North America,
with all new furniture, flooring, lighting, and signage.
· Met every deadline for new store openings and renovations with 10% of the projects completed early and 90%
completed right on schedule. Controlled budgets of up to $350K for new stores
and up to $100K for renovation
projects, and managed all projects within budget.
· Slashed furniture costs in half from $60K in an average 700 sf. store to
$25K to $32K in a store with up to
1,000 sf. by streamlining fixture designs and developing customized, lower-cost
options for small-volume stores that
carry significantly less inventory.
Carmella
Montessano, Page 2 | carmellam@gmail.com
Additional
Achievements – Director of Store Design
· Created and launched several remarkably successful marketing campaigns
including The Big Heel Affair, which drove 2 haircare products to the top 2 spots
in their category, It’s Sporadic,
which launched the #1 selling
fragrance range, and The Hip Bone,
which became the top-selling gift set.
· Completely redesigned the North American website including new copy, layout, shopping cart, images for 300+ products, and improved
back-end functionality. Directed a team of 8 in-house designers.
· Trained PRADA executives and managers in Japan, Italy, Australia, and the UK in merchandising, project management, store design using
AutoCAD, cost-effective renovations, and market-specific branding.
· Contributed to the development of various cosmetic and spa treatment products including the Soft Tone
skincare sample kit that became a top 10 seller and increased product sales
20%+ in the 1st year.
· Co-planned the annual New York press
launch event each Christmas season. The 2009 event attracted 70+
editors from all the major fashion magazines and resulted in press coverage in
50+ publications.
STORE OPENING
COORDINATOR | SENIOR MERCHANDISER Jan
2000 – Dec 2005
· Promoted to a role with the company that previously didn’t exist. Coordinated all new
store openings across Canada and the US while developing and rolling out new programs, systems, tools, and resources
for merchandising, windows, and signage. Supervised 2 direct reports. Reported
to the president/CEO.
Key Accomplishments
· Quadrupled the store count in North
America from 11 to 48. Opened
11 new stores in Canada and 26 in the
US and met every project deadline. Merchandised each sales floor and set up
equipment, furniture, and fixtures.
Trained 10-20 managers and associates per store on all aspects of visual merchandising.
· Developed a comprehensive store opening
and installation program that
established project schedules and timelines, and coordinated activities and communication among architects, construction, shipping, IT, retail, finance,
manufacturing, and the store opening team.
· Established visual presentation programs
and merchandising standards for all North American stores. Created a 3-tier system for low, medium, and high-volume stores that incorporated product placement,
inventory control, and shrink reduction. Cut waste by up to 50% in low and
medium-volume stores.
· Created and rolled out a monthly retail windows program that contributed to significant sales increases
including 35% annual
growth in skincare sales and 25% annual growth in holiday gift sales, both of which were heavily featured in window
campaigns. Designed all window and POP materials.
· Revolutionized a product signage program
that lacked standards and consistency. Sourced and selected new
materials, inks, and printers to create permanent silkscreened signage in
English and French, with US and CDN
pricing, at a cost of only $150 per store.
~ Store Manager of the
Metroplis location in Calgary AL from July 1999 to December 2000 ~
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) – Worthington
University of Art + Design – 2003 CELTA Teaching Certificate:
ESL for Adult Learners – University
of Oxford – 2012
Intermediate French Levels 1,
2, and 3 – Centre
Saint-Louis, Commission Scolaire de Montréal – 2012
