WILLIAM J. FOREMAN
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Orion Engineered Carbons
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs (July 2021to present)
Telling the story of a world-leading specialty chemicals company making materials that are essential to products we use every day. Orion employs more than 1,400 workers at 14 plants and four technical centers in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Created a quarterly newsletter and internal news site that built a stronger sense of community and shared stories about how Orion employees are living the company’s values.
Used social media, including LinkedIn and Twitter, to raise the company’s visibility and increase engagement with stakeholders.
Led a project to redesign the corporate website and refresh the company’s brand identity.
Camphor Press
Author (Oct. 2020 - present)
Writing a memoir about my relationship with journalism, China and cycling. To be published in December 2022.
American Chamber of Commerce – Taipei, Taiwan
President (Jan. 2018 - Sept. 2020)
Led the biggest, most impactful international business organization in Taiwan, with nearly 1,000 members from more than 500 companies.
Returned the organization to profitability after consecutive years of losses by increasing membership, developing new revenue streams and cutting waste.
Revitalized a fading brand, repositioning it as an innovation leader and attracting new members – including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Intel, Netflix and Raytheon.
Developed and executed the organization’s first comprehensive strategic communications strategy, with a new vision, mission statement and messaging that reset strained relations with Taiwan’s government.
Conceptualized and launched the NextGen Leadership Program, creating a training and community-building opportunity for young professionals and a much-needed new revenue source for the organization.
Successfully protected AmCham’s brand with crisis communications and issues management, with stronger governance and tighter financial controls.
Published the best AmCham monthly magazine in Asia and oversaw the creation of other thought leadership content, including the annual Business Climate Survey and White Paper.
Heifer International – Little Rock, Arkansas
Director of Public Relations (June 2016 - Dec. 2017)
Led a global team of communicators promoting Heifer’s mission in 26 countries to end poverty with sustainable agriculture, economic development, entrepreneurship and impact investing.
Oversaw media relations and thought leadership, while supporting crisis communications, social media and internal communications.
Played a leading role in developing and executing a communications strategy that repositioned Heifer as an NGO capable of taking on multimillion-dollar projects.
Assisted with developing relationships with corporate and institutional donors, such as the Gates Foundation, Cargill, United Nations and Mastercard Foundation.
Received the Employee Impact Award in 2016 for a media relations campaign that earned 1,553 placements (including five New York Times mentions) in 30+ countries, with an ad equivalency of $1.2 million, during the Hurricane Matthew disaster in Haiti.
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan
Associate Director of International Communications (Aug. 2014 - July 2016)
Global Communications Manager (March 2012 - July 2014)
Senior Public Relations Representative (June 2011 - Feb. 2012)
Developed and executed the first global communications strategy for the biggest public research university in the U.S., with $1.3 billion in annual research funding. Led a five-person team creating stories and doing media relations in Chinese, English, Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish – an initiative unmatched in U.S. higher education.
Directed an external communications initiative that earned a record 2,608 placements in key markets in China, India, Brazil and the Spanish-speaking world in 2015.
Doubled traffic to Global Michigan – the university’s international website – with a redesign including stronger storytelling, visuals and an interactive map pinpointing more than 500 university projects in over 100 countries.
Launched the most successful Chinese social media initiative in U.S. higher education in terms of engagement – a model adopted by Duke, Princeton and University of Chicago.
Developed a metrics system with monthly reports measuring the impact of media outreach.
The Associated Press - Kansas City, New York, Taipei, Hong Kong, Guangzhou
South China Chief (Aug. 2007 - Aug 2010) Bureau Chief, Hong Kong (Jan. 2005 - July 2007)
Bureau Chief, Taipei (Aug. 1999 - Dec. 2004) International Editor, New York (Aug. 1997 - Aug. 1999)
Newsman, Kansas City (April 1995 - Aug. 1997)
Managed news teams covering the most dynamic region of Asia for 10 years as a bureau chief for the world’s biggest news network. Frequently traveled to supervise coverage of major stories from Sydney and Islamabad to Jerusalem and Helsinki. Responsibilities included business development, government relations, brand strategy and crisis communication.
Opened the AP’s first bureau in Guangzhou, the capital of China’s most successful industrial base – known as the “factory floor of the world.” Developed expertise in manufacturing, labor relations and product quality. Special assignments included North Korean missile crisis, Beijing Olympics, Sichuan earthquake and Xinjiang riots.
Revamped the Hong Kong bureau, hiring aggressive reporters, award-winning photographers and innovative technical staff. Special assignments included the tsunami disaster in Indonesia, EU summit in Helsinki, earthquake in Kashmir and mining boom in Western Australia.
Transformed the Taipei bureau — one of Asia’s worst performers — into a market leader as measured by the frequency customers publish bureau stories. Special assignments included the SARS outbreak in China, terrorism in Pakistan and the second intifada in Israel.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
University of Kansas – BA in English and philosophy
National Taiwan Normal University – Intensive language studies in Mandarin
Zhengzhou University – Graduate studies in Mandarin
University of Maryland in College Park – Completed coursework for MA in journalism
AWARDS
Knight-Wallace Fellow, University of Michigan (Aug. 2010 - May 2011)
One of 18 journalists worldwide awarded a prestigious mid-career fellowship. Studied the Korean language and took MBA courses in entrepreneurship, crisis leadership and global business.
