Company: NCR Corporation
Company Description: NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leading global technology company helping businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. NCR’s ATMs, retail systems, Teradata® data warehouses and IT services provide Relationship Technology™ solutions that maximize the value of customer interactions. Based in Dayton, Ohio, NCR (www.ncr.com) employs approximately 29,500 people worldwide.
Nomination Category: Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Communications Organization

Nomination Title: Positively Leveraging the Unexpected

Tell the story about what this nominated organization achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leading global technology company helping
businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. NCR’s ATMs, retail
systems, Teradata® data warehouses and IT services provide Relationship
Technology™ solutions that maximize the value of customer interactions.  Based
in Dayton, Ohio, NCR (www.ncr.com) employs approximately 29,500 people
worldwide. 

In early 2003, NCR faced an unexpected change in CEO.  This followed a number
of other top management changes in late 2002.  In February, 2003, Lars Nyberg,
CEO of NCR since 1995, announced that he would resign in March.  The
Company needed to reassure its employees, shareholders and customers that
this transition would be successfully managed and that reengineering plans being
put in place to improve its operational performance would not be derailed.

Due to the responsiveness and excellent communications management of the
Corporate Communications team, both internal and external reaction to the
change was successfully managed and more than a dozen articles in key
business and trade media positively positioned the change and endorsed the
choice of Mark Hurd as successor.

Prior to the CEO announcement, Corporate Communications had worked to
position Mark Hurd as a vital members of the management team.  When Hurd was
named Chief Operating Officer in September 2002, his selection was highly
praised by both internal and external audiences.  Corporate Communications
communicated Hurd’s achievements in a clear-cut, factual
manner that resonated with the media.  By creating this strong foundation, Hurd’s
numerous accomplishments at NCR were widely reported in the news. 

NCR’s objectives were well communicated to the employees, shareholders,
customers and the public.  The message that Hurd was poised to be as
successful at leading NCR as he had been at leading the Teradata division was
repeated often.  Speeches, press releases and letters to shareholders all reflected
his vision, his passion and his operational expertise. 

NCR also increased visibility worldwide by placing a stronger emphasis on
achievements made internationally.  Divisions announced milestones and new
achievements on a regular basis, thereby strengthening the NCR brand globally.

The Corporate Communications team has continued to build momentum in the
media following the CEO transition while simultaneously working through
significant internal communications challenges related to an aggressive
reengineering plan and tenacious cost-cutting initiatives. 

NCR has exceeded Wall Street expectations for two consecutive quarters
following Hurd assuming the CEO position.  Merrill Lynch analyst Steve
Milunovich, one of the most-respected technology stock analysts on Wall Street,
recently issued a comprehensive research note on the company that included
upgrading the NCR stock to a "buy" -- and referred to Hurd as 'Master of the
Metrics' reinforcing the company's focus on improving operational performance. 
This also was widely covered in key business media. 

The NCR stock price has risen almost 90% since the CEO transition was
announced in February (as at October 2).

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

http://www.ncr.com/about_ncr/Sample%20CEO%20transition%20coverage.doc

http://www.ncr.com/about_ncr/ML%20NCR%209-25%20upgrade.pdf

http://www.ncr.com/media_information/2003/feb/pr021903c.htm

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of this nominated organization:

Shelley Bird is chief communications officer at NCR Corporation.

Prior to joining NCR in June 1999, Bird was vice president of marketing
communications and public relations at Philips Consumer Communications in
France and the U.S.  Bird also held a number of positions with Motorola
Electronics and public relations firm Hill and Knowlton in the Asia Pacific region.

Bird began her career with J. Walter Thompson, in Toronto.  She also taught at the
college level in retail management programs.

Bird received a Master of Arts degree in Communications Management from the
University of South Australia and is currently pursuing a PhD.