Kelly Groehler
Senior Manager, Corporate Public Relations Best Buy Co., Inc.

Kelly is a champion for public relations as a business management function that protects and preserves an organization's reputation. Her work over 13 years has helped Fortune 500 corporations successfully navigate such challenges as union negotiations, restructuring, acquisitions and the launch of business initiatives.

Kelly joined the corporate public relations team of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) in 2005, tasked with building and sustaining its reputation management program. She is responsible for helping both the company understand its reputation with stakeholders, and the corporate public relations team in guiding the corporation's actions and words to protect and preserve that reputation. She is responsible for public relations support of litigation, issues management, crises, government relations, environmental affairs, supply chain, corporate social responsibility, community relations, and the Best Buy Children's Foundation.

Prior to joining Best Buy, Kelly served in the business-to-business and employee communication practice areas at Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc. (PSB), a public relations firm in Minneapolis. She specialized in the integration of corporate, employee, and marketing communications for clients including Rockwell Automation, BASF, ConocoPhillips, and Coors Brewing Co. Her client and nonprofit work at PSB received state and national awards from the Business Marketing Association, The Holmes Group, and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Kelly graduated with distinction in 1993 from St. Cloud State University (SCSU) with a bachelor-of-science degree in mass communications/public relations.

Accredited in Public Relations (APR) through PRSA, Kelly was the 2004 president of Minnesota PRSA, one of the society's largest chapters. She and fellow members helped steer "What Business Thinks" research programs with Twin Cities Business magazine in 2003 and 2005, exploring the perceptions of public relations and reputation among the Twin Cities' business executives. She is a member of the national advocacy advisory board of PRSA, and she served five years as professional adviser to the St. Cloud State University chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She is a frequent guest lecturer at the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas, and is a member of the SCSU mass communications adjunct faculty pool. She also is a contributor to PRSA Strategist.

Kelly previously served on the board of directors for the Domestic Abuse Project (DAP) in Minneapolis, and is an avid pro bono supporter of area nonprofit organizations.