Brian Ellis to Speak at CRN's The Conference

WASHINGTONThe Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) announced that Brian Ellis, executive vice president for CRT/tanaka, a communications firm, will lead an interactive breakout session on crisis management at The Conference: CRN's Annual Symposium on Dietary Supplements. The session will allow participants to engage in a simulated, real-world crisis scenario that could put a companys reputation, profitability and future into jeopardy. 

Participants will immerse themselves in a realistic, virtual crisis situation focused specifically on an issue related to the dietary supplement industry.  This session, developed exclusively for this years annual conference, will teach participants first-hand what is involved in developing a crisis communications plan and managing the plan in real-time, taking into account the importance of employee, external stakeholder and media communications, quick response time and reputation management. Ellis, a former journalist, regularly conducts these hands-on workshops for the agencys clients and for companies looking for one or two day crisis management/executive training seminars.  He has led similar workshops at CRNs annual communications and media outreach committee seminars.

When your company is in a crisis situation, whether its a hurricane shutting down your plant or an FDA product recall, you need to move at lightning speed, and having a game plan in place ahead of time will make it easier for you to do that," said Judy Blatman, senior vice president, communications, CRN.  This session will be a lot more fun than handling an actual crisis, but it will also get you thinking in a serious way."          

Ellis has been working at CRT/tanaka for 22 years and is a member of its executive management team. He is also a senior member of the agencys health practice and concentrates his work in pharmaceutical marketing, health care strategic planning, issues and crisis management, consumer product marketing, change management and major event marketing. CRT/tanaka created the CRN Foundations Lifesupplemented consumer wellness campaign, managing and executing the program during its first four years.