Ken Terrell’s Portfolio Site
Highlights from award-winning work in corporate communications
Publications
I’ve spent the majority of my career in corporate communications, most recently as Executive Director of Employee Communications for Verizon. I’ve worked in an array of capacities: media spokesperson; speechwriter; annual report and newsletter editor; and video producer/writer/director, among others.
As a journalist, I worked as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers and magazines in Washington, Baltimore and other locations from the Eastern Shore to the Shenandoah Valley. I gained television news experience as an assignment desk editor, writer and field producer for cable news bureaus covering Washington.
I’ve also taught Journalism and Corporate Communications as a full-time visiting professor at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.
Following are samples of my work in a variety of disciplines.
Sept. 11 Commemorative
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks our employees rerouted more than 4 million telephone circuits and restored service to the New York Stock Exchange in less than a week. They also restored service to the Pentagon in a matter of days. My challenge was to celebrate this herculean effort while also paying tribute to three of our employees who lost their lives in the attacks. I was charged with developing the message from our chief executives and the tributes to the fallen employees, as well as overseeing the design.
Get the full publication PDF (1.2 MB).
Employee Communications Leads
To be effective, employee communications must be credible, clear and compelling. Here's a sampling of leads from articles and video scripts I wrote for the internal media. Employees consistently ranked our corporate media as the most widely used source of strategic corporate information, second only to their direct supervisor.
Get a PDF of sample leads.
Media Relations Spokesperson and Trainer
As a media relations manager, my experience in newspapers and television was an advantage in placing stories in the media. I know from experience what appeals to an editor. My background also enabled me to go beyond the typical duties of being a spokesperson and writing releases, I also conducted media spokesperson training for executives. Posted here is a list of guidelines I would provide during these sessions.
Get my sample press pointers PDF.
Corporate Responsibility Report
When Verizon produced its first Corporate Responsibility Report, I was called in to turn reams of policy statements and statistics into coherent prose.
Get the full publication PDF (3.1 MB).
Breathing Life into an Annual Report in 150 Words
These employee profiles were featured in Bell Atlantic's annual report. After extensive interviews with the employees, the challenge was to capture the heart of their stories with a minimum of copy.
Get a printable PDF of three profiles.