Two internationally recognized executives will share tips and tactics for building high-performing business teams in a free, public presentation at the University of Nevada, Reno. David Kamenetzky, vice president for corporate affairs and strategic initiatives for the global manufacturer Mars, Incorporated, along with Howard Guttman, founder and principal of Guttman Development Strategies, a New Jersey-based management consulting firm, will visit Nevada at 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21. The program, "Building a High-Performance Team for Brand Management and Corporate Affairs," will take place in the Joe Crowley Student Union Theatre on the third floor.

"The University believes in engaging the campus and business communities," Reynolds School Dean Al Stavitsky said. "Partnering with internationally recognized leaders like David and Howard exposes students and local leaders to innovative thinking and best practices as a way to advance Nevada business."

Kamenetzky is part of the leadership team at Mars, with responsibility for all aspects of worldwide corporate brand and reputation management of products such as M&M's, Uncle Ben's Rice, Wrigley, Pedigree pet products and more. He also manages external and internal communications, issues and crisis management, government affairs and corporate social responsibility; as well as the company's strategy development and deployment. He previously worked on the staff of U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, the current Secretary of Defense, and for Goldman Sachs in London and Frankfurt.

Guttman specializes in executive coaching and in building high-performance teams. His clients include Coca Cola; Johnson & Johnson; Mars, Inc.; Novartis; Pfizer and Walmart. He is the author of three books on organizational and executive development: When Goliaths Clash: Managing Executive Conflict to Build a More Dynamic Organization; Great Business Teams: Cracking the Code for Standout Performance; and Coach Yourself to Win: 7 Steps to Breakthrough Performance on the Job and in Your Life.

Their visit is sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism and Center for Advanced Media Studies and the College of Business.

About the program:
Corporate Affairs departments of corporations occupy the hot seat in the organizations they serve. They are a company's public voice and presence in its dealings with key stakeholders, including the media, investors, financial analysts, consumers, government and regulators, and community groups. They provide advice to the company's top leaders on trends and stakeholder issues.  Corporate Affairs must be skilled at  collaboration-not only externally, but within the company-often working cross-functionally to build information networks and garner support.  All this puts a premium on ensuring that Corporate Affairs is the ultimate high-performing team, one that is strategically aligned with the corporate direction; has clear goals and ground rules for decision making; and views its accountabilities not in narrow functional terms, but in terms of advancing the agenda of all units and functions in the organization.

This session focuses on the Corporate Affairs Department of Mars, Incorporated; details the challenges and cross-pressures the department faces; and describes how, by adopting a horizontal, high-performing-team management model, it has successfully overcome these challenges. David Kamenetzky, the company's vice president of corporate affairs and strategic initiatives, and Howard Guttman, principal, Guttman Development Strategies and a coach and consultant to Mr. Kamenetzky, present a candid snapshot of the high-performance journey that Corporate Affairs has embarked upon. They describe the challenges faced by the department as it moved away from the traditional hierarchical model and how the new model has helped Corporate Affairs optimize its performance and become an important contributor to the Mars brand and performance.