Amy Merck - Communications Manager (former), Walmart, Tyson

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Network Power<100 people

Roles

💸100%

Marketing

Geos

🇺🇸100%

United States

Work Background

FreelanceCommunications Consultant

Feb. 2010Fayetteville, ArkansasFreelance writer, editor and consultant for corporate communications and training. Client segments included retail, healthcare and higher education. Projects included press releases for PR and non-profit agencies, advertorial copy for major metro dailies, other newspaper special sections, and small business websites.

Liquid AgencyCommunications Project Manager (temp contract)

Jul. 2023 - Feb. 2024Bentonville, Arkansas, United StatesCommunications support for Walmart Compensation and Total Rewards. • Created and managed communications for Walmart compensation and Total Rewards, including leadership memos, talking points, FAQs, store management action items and employee emails. • Worked with business partners and legal to ensure accuracy. • Developed communication action plans.

Arvest BankCorporate Communications Advisor

Aug. 2022 - Mar. 2023Lowell, Arkansas, United States• Developed templates and usage guidelines for business partners to use various communication channels. • Advised and edited employee and customer communications for Arvest Credit Card, Integrated Account Servicing, Third-Party Risk Management, Performance Marketing, Technology, Digital Services and Privacy Risk Management groups. • Gathered information from subject-matter experts across the bank to develop a central repository of systems used to email and text customers in compliance with federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and CAN-SPAM Act. • Created and executed communications plan for the decommission of a proprietary banking app, including separate communications tailored to bank leadership, front-line associates, marketing, customer support/call center agents and 6,500 customers who used the app. • As part of the core communications and change management team, helped implement Google Workspace, replacing Microsoft apps for more than 6,000 employees in 250 branches and corporate offices.

Meredith CorporationCopy Manager

Jul. 2019 - Mar. 2020Bentonville, ArkansasCreated copy, completed package proofs and worked with Legal for nine Better Homes & Gardens product categories sold at Walmart.

Tyson FoodsSenior Analyst, IT Communications and Org Change

Jun. 2016 - Feb. 2018Springdale, Arkansas• Established strategic communications program for 800+ Information Technology team members. • Created and provided content for weekly newsletter to keep IT members informed of updates, events, recognition, downtimes and new programs. • Established processes and guidelines for communicating IT alerts to the Tyson enterprise, including system downtimes, unplanned outages and new applications such as Office 365. • Planned and executed quarterly leadership all-hands meetings, including identifying topics, finding and prepping speakers, coordinating logistics and ensuring all content was reviewed by leadership and presented accurately. • Expanded short-term Info Series into monthly event to educate IT and Tyson business team members about updates in IT. This included conceptualizing and helping to develop presentations on cyber security, data governance, Remedy Knowledge Management, Power BI and analytics, Office 365 and a panel discussion on adopting Agile methodology and scrum teams with IT and business partners. • Built vital relationships with Internal Communications to represent Information Technology in enterprise communications to improve visibility and understanding of the work of IT. • Implemented Digital Signage Network for Tyson IT buildings, including training on Scala Content Manager software. • Established Communications Advisory Council to stay connected with IT functional areas to develop topics for events, digital signage, weekly IT newsletter and enterprise channels. • Collaborated with Change and Release Management team to determine best channels and messaging for SAP downtimes that affected the entire organization. • Wrote media alert and partnered with Tyson Public Relations to get coverage from four local media outlets about Girls in Technology event held at Tyson and sponsored by the Information Technology Research Institute of the University of Arkansas.

WalmartCommunications Manager - Walmart Technology/ISD

Jan. 2015 - Apr. 2016Bentonville, ArkansasSupport ISD Operations and Global IT Sourcing and Vendor Management with communication and messaging.

WalmartProject Manager - Global Investigations

Jul. 2014 - Jan. 2015Bentonville, ArkansasTemporary role as project manager to help establish a global training program for the investigations unit of Walmart Stores, Inc. Worked with outside agency and internal subject matter experts to help develop modules that included planning investigations, conducting interviews and writing reports. I also designed a course on "Systems and Resources for Investigators," to educate new investigators about the applications and systems available to them to conduct research. This included building content for an interactive tool to assist investigators in navigating these systems.

JournaticPublications Manager

Aug. 2011 - Sep. 2012• Set up and managed processes for gathering content for 26 news websites in NYC metro area. • Managed daily content generation and troubleshooting for six online newspapers. • Served as liaison with corporate media client and local editors. • Supervised six associate assignment editors.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.Senior Manager, US Store Communications

May. 2009 - Feb. 2010Bentonville, Arkansas• Served as communications gate between U.S. store communication channels and Walmart Foundation, corporate, benefits, human resources, sustainability, legal and diversity. • Ensured relevant, timely, concise, consistent and clear communications from above mentioned areas. Helped identify and remove potential roadblocks to store execution. • Wrote and managed execution of announcements, FAQs, talking points, action items and resources for programs and in-store changes for store management and officers.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.Senior Project Manager, Business Readiness, Employment Practices

Jun. 2008 - May. 2009Bentonville, Arkansas• Led communication efforts for 40 employment practices projects designed to improve processes and systems related to hiring, selection, promotion, pay, attendance and evaluation of employees. • Worked closely with each operating division to communicate projects and implementation timelines. • Crafted messaging, direction, talking points and FAQs for store management and field leadership.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.Senior Manager, Internal Communications

Feb. 2004 - Jun. 2008Bentonville, Arkansas• Designed and developed content for company intranet page. • Developed and managed a Q&A for then-CEO Lee Scott, which was the company’s only direct communication between employees and the CEO. Selected appropriate questions from 4,500 submissions for CEO to answer, then met directly with him for responses. Led cross-functional team with information systems to develop proprietary system to track and organize electronic submissions to Ask Lee . • Wrote internal communication plans, messaging, talking points and memos for wide range of corporate programs, issues and announcements. Coordinated cross-divisional distribution of these communications, partnering with senior executives, operating divisions, public relations, legal and HR. • Collaborated with executives and Corporate Affairs to write new officer press releases and officer bios. • Created monthly S*Mart newsletter to report on company’s ground-breaking sustainability initiatives. • Brought internal communication process to Corporate Affairs from ISD and developed guidelines for sending Home Office and corporate announcements. • Replaced inconsistent Home Office campus announcement process with new communication vehicle, ensuring consistency and relevancy for 25,000 Northwest Arkansas-based employees. • Served as corporate spokesman for 24/7 after-hour calls on rotating basis, including working with media in wake of store crises across the country.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.Communications Manager

Nov. 2002 - Feb. 2004Bentonville, Arkansas• Wrote internal communication plans, messaging, talking points and memos for wide range of corporate programs, issues and announcements. Coordinated cross-divisional distribution of these communications, partnering with senior executives, operating divisions, public relations, legal and HR. • Collaborated with executives and Corporate Affairs to write new officer press releases and officer bios. • Created press release program for new store managers, resulting in more than 800 articles in newspapers across the country. Supervised the work of PR agency assigned to this program.

Wal-MartEditor/Writer (Walmart World)

Jan. 1998 - Dec. 2002Bentonville, Arkansas• Planned each month’s issue of 16-page color magazine distributed to all U.S. facilities. • Generated story ideas, conducted interviews, wrote and edited articles, compiled submissions from employees , took photos and coordinated deadlines with departmental authors and executives. • Edited and proofed pages of publication, working closely with third-party printer to ensure changes were made and the accuracy of final product. • Produced award-winning issue in conjunction with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The Carthage PressEditor/Reporter

Jan. 1996 - Dec. 1998

Independence ExaminerReporter

Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996