Len Biegel is a widely recognized expert in crisis communications, training and management. He has counseled a large number of Fortune 500 corporations and trade groups on crisis planning and has played an active role in a wide range of crisis responses. He is author of the forthcoming book, Never Say Never : The Complete Executive Guide to Crisis Management (Brick Tower Press, 2008). The book examines the successes and failures of the private sector's approach to crisis management - from the Tylenol tampering ro Exxon Valdez. With an alarming 25% of American business still unprepared for all hazards since 9/11 and Katrina, he offers, in the book, a prescription for closing the preparedness gap.

On 9/11 and in the days following, he led a task force helping American Airlines in their crisis communications; and authored the widely acclaimed Post-9/11 Crisis Communications Toolkit and supplement for The Business Roundtable.

Len was involved in a number of post-Hurricane Katrina activities - including counseling on the use of cruise ships for shelter; training for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and for GE. He was a member of the US Chamber of Commerce Homeland Security Task Force and involved in their efforts to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

He played a key role in the Tylenol product-tampering cases and, subsequently, other crises ranging from environment to product safety. He created the most extensive emergency preparedness program in the cruise vacation industry

Before founding The Biegel Group, he was Executive Vice President and head of Weber Shandwick's Global Crisis Management Practice, where he created a disciplined approach to crisis management, with a practice encompassing senior experts in principal offices worldwide. He personally was involved in a number of assignments connected with Homeland Security.

He is especially skilled in message development and media training, crisis response and the development of crisis prevention and readiness programs for global companies, trade associations and government agencies. This work often involves highly sensitive issues involving investigations and litigation. He also is often called upon to solve non-crisis communications problems by clients - including the revamping of company-wide employee communications programs. In 2004, he authored a Public Affairs Council paper, The New Realities: Crisis Management in the Post-9/11 Era. He also is the author of The Business Roundtable's Post-9/11 Crisis Communications Toolkit (2002) and Committed to Protecting America: A Private-Sector Crisis Preparedness Guide (2005.) He also contributed to Committed to Protecting America: CEO Guide to Security Challenges; and served as an advisor to the Department of Homeland Security's ready.gov for Business. He has served as a member of the advisory board for the McGraw-Hill Homeland Security Summit and as a member of he editorial board of McGraw-Hill's Homeland Security magazine.

Among his client work, Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD represents some of the broadest scope of his work, from crisis planning to communications training to strategic counsel during actual crises. In 1999 he created the cruise line's GO Team concept and trained shore side and headquarters staff on the techniques for helping cruise guests during emergencies. In the late 90s, when Royal Caribbean volunteered to serve as the industry's crisis model during the USCG's annual industry-wide simulation, Len served as the company's liaison to the Coast Guard. This involved extensive planning as well as execution of the simulation and the debrief following the event.

He has worked on highly sensitive issues with attorneys representing clients - with matters concerning the New York State and California Attorneys General; and the U.S. Department of Justice and The Consumer Product Safety Commission. During the DOJ investigation of Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD on charges of oil dumping, he was responsible for the communications program, working closely with counsel throughout. Other litigation support experience includes work for the BIC Corporation and two major medical facilities.

A former Emmy award-winning television broadcaster, Len served in senior media and crisis management positions at Rowan & Blewitt and Burson-Marsteller. He also has served as a consultant to the White House Conference on Small Business, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, AT&T, IBM and the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

He began his career as manager of special events for CBS in New York. He also served as program director and executive producer for Metromedia (now Fox) in New York and Washington. For two years he taught at George Washington University as an associate professorial lecturer.

He has served as a member of the board of directors of the National Association for Industry-Education Cooperation and has been an adviser to the White House Office of Private Sector Initiatives and the US Conference of Mayors. He is co-author of Mediability, and author of The Best Years Catalogue and Fitness and the Older Person.

Len holds a bachelor's degree from New York University and studied management at NYU's Graduate School of Business Administration. He is a member of the Princeton Club of New York.