Finalists for VP for Integrated Communications at the University of Montana announced

Where once there were many, now there are four. And after a lengthy process of interviews and public forums, soon only one will be named vice president for integrated communications at the University of Montana.

By Heather Jurva

Four candidates have been selected for further interviews for the communications job, according to a Wednesday press release: Scott Ochander, Mario Schulzke, Kari Dilloo and Libby Eckhardt.

"We had an enormous amount of interest," Kuhr said.

Ochander hails from Valparaiso University in Indiana, where he is currently the vice president for integrated marketing and communications. He has held his current position since 2009.

Mario Schulzke http://www.linkedin.com/in/mschulzke founded IdeaMensch (http://www.ideamensch.com), a digital publication for entrepreneurs, in 2009. He also worked in new media and as an instructor at the Academy of Art University in San Fransisco.

IdeaMensch – 2000 miles into America – Missoula, Montana was great http://www.matr.net/article-51125.html

Dilloo works for Microsoft/Bing as a group communications manager and has been there since 2006. She has also been the group public relations manager for the Xbox 360 and group communications manager for the Entertainment and Devices Division. She is a UM graduate with a degree in business administration and marketing and a minor in communications.

Eckhardt is the chief communications officer for the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio State University. She has worked in communications at Ohio State since 2007.

"After an extensive national search, we have pinpointed four exciting candidates with the potential to enhance our University’s communications strategies and take our marketing programs to a higher level," Kuhr said in the same release. "We invite campus and community members to attend the candidate forums and help select the right person for this vital leadership position."

Kuhr has been in her position since late August, when the job was revamped to include both internal communications within the University and external communications with the community and media. She is chair of the 16-person search committee and will return to her position as dean of the UM School of Journalism when the process is complete.

The committee’s role is to conduct the search and offer feedback about the candidates, Kuhr said. The final hiring decision will be made by President Royce Engstrom.

[email protected]

http://www.montanakaimin.com/news/finalists-for-vp-position-announced-1.2954384#.UKUWV4awV7E

***

Changing the culture of communication
Remaning changes for transparency hinge on new hire

The role of the new vice president of integrated communications still needs to be defined. For the new hire, it will not be as simple as stepping into a position, but, rather, the entire University community is on hold, waiting for ideas in changing communication structure and working toward goals for transparency.

The University announced the four candidates Wednesday, and each finalist will visit campus for two days over the next month. Peggy Kuhr, interim vice president for integrated communications, said more people applied for the position than the University has ever had for an administration position. She added that the new person should assume the job in the next calendar year, even as early as spring semester.

By Carli Krueger & Kellen Beck

Full Story: http://www.montanakaimin.com/news/changing-the-culture-of-communication-1.2954379#.UKUc_YawV7E