Stephanie Hollander

Lead a team of eight communication professionals, plus an external agency team, driving meaningful improvement in brand perception and consideration as well as internal engagement and business results

Develop and execute issues and crisis communication plans for high-profile situations, including M&A transactions, regulatory challenges, and market disruptions.

Recent examples, include:

• Spearheaded communication strategy for the $2.8 billion HTLF acquisition, the largest in UMB's history, ensuring seamless internal and external announcement, messaging, media management, and critical coordination with various stakeholders
• Managed corporate reputation during the 2023 banking crisis, successfully mitigating media risks and reinforcing customer confidence
• Oversaw comprehensive communication needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Oversee and drive media relations, securing more than 700 placements in 2024, with top-tier publications such as Forbes, Bloomberg, and regional Business Journals

Advise C-suite executives on communication strategies to maintain transparency and trust

Oversee a best-in-class corporate social media strategy that significantly outperforms industry engagement and click-through rates in support of business priorities

Partner with legal, compliance, and investor relations teams to navigate complex regulatory and legislative environments

Oversee sophisticated content management strategy that fully leverages all communication assets via a multi-channel approach to ensure we serve the right content, to the right people at the right time for maximum impact. This includes UMB blog content and oversight, with an always-on SEO-optimization focus

Provide executive counsel and collaboration to help drive business results within various departments through effective internal communication messaging, delivery and management

Manage robust awards program to drive internal recognition and appreciation while also securing highly valued media coverage for our associates and company

• Drove strategic direction of corporate social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter) to support business needs and priorities; effectively grew all channels' content frequency, quality and engagement rates
• Served as a ghostwriter to create and secure placements for guest columns (local and national)
• Identified and managed top-tier award nominations
• Developed communication plans and provided ongoing support for assigned business partners
• Served as a primary intranet author and manager to ensure company associates were provided with critical information on an ongoing basis
• Played a substantial planning and communication role in company's recognition program
• Researched and crafted executive talking points as needed
• Provided event support as needed

• Provided ongoing strategic direction and counsel to senior management, including CEO, CFO, COO, CIO, regional and lines of business leaders and marketing/communication managers and directors
• Developed and managed clients' annual strategic communication plans and budgets
• Provided daily direction and counsel to clients regarding best practices, industry guidelines, trends, etc
• Managed and mentored internal team members
• Strategically pitched and gained print and broadcast attention for clients on local, regional and national scale, including media briefings
• Recommended, developed and implemented a corporate-wide awards program that resulted in 60+ local, regional and national recognitions
• Developed communications for significant events, including mergers and acquisitions
• Created and executed strategic plans for projects, such as wellness campaigns, new client offerings, special events, company milestones, etc.
• Researched and authored a variety of materials, including industry byline articles, executive talking points for internal and external events, blog content, etc.
• Formed and managed Barkley's Good Works program, which included a 10-person committee that identified, promoted and educated internal partners on volunteer opportunities in the Greater Kansas City area; increased partner volunteer hours from approximately 250 hours in 2011 to 2,000 hours in 2012 and 2,800 hours in 2013

• Developed and managed annual marketing plans and budgets
• Managed creative for all marketing materials, including quarterly and annual reports
• Strategically pitched and gained print attention for clients on local and regional scale
• Researched and entered CTMT in appropriate industry and community award opportunities
• Drafted internal communication materials for senior executives
• Organized and led all internal fundraising and volunteer activities
• Formed and led CTMT Charitable Actions Committee; responsible for reviewing all submitted donation requests
• Assisted and coached employees with charity board placement
• Created CTMT's first social responsibility brochure

• Managed media relations and content development for company
• Managed corporate awards program
• Managed and wrote internal communications for variety of needs, including senior executive communications, company-wide newsletters and more
• Led and managed a team of associates that captained annual charity fundraising events
• Created and oversaw the 'Lockton in the Community' intranet site: detailed monthly corporate contributions, charity involvement, and associate testimonials
• Managed all company-wide events for 500+ associates, including annual business meeting