ABSTRACT
Elizabeth Heller Allen was Vice President for Corporate Communication at Staples, Inc. and had primary responsibility – among her many other duties – for preparing members of the Staples senior team for press conferences, speeches and public appearances. Staples, Inc. is the #2 office supply superstore company in the US, with market capitalization of $13.5 billion and annual revenues of $8.3 billion. They sell office products, furniture, computers, and photocopying services at more than 1,000 stores, primarily in the US and Canada, but also in Germany, the UK, The Netherlands and Portugal. “Speaking opportunities are important at any business,” says Allen: but they are especially important at a company like Staples because the current Chief Executive Officer, Thomas G. Stemberg, is the company founder. “Most of the Point Team would rather have a few key points, some supporting detail, and a couple of closing thoughts to work from,” says Allen.
