Who We Are


Corporate communications expertise

across many industry sectors


We bring capital markets understanding, communications prowess and journalistic savvy to get the job done. Building on years of corporate IR and PR experience, we create tailored solutions that generate powerful results for your communications investment.  It's what you'd expect from a hands-on corporate communications advisor and partner.

We bring working experience from a broad range of industry sectors:
  • Banking
  • Utilities
  • Retail
  • Consumer Non-Durable Goods
  • Manufacturing - Lighting, Fixtures, Office Furniture
  • Finance/capital/private equity
  • Professional associations
  • Restaurants
  • Coal mining
  • Recycling and waste management
  • Real estate
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Insurance - Life 
  • Insurance - Medical Liability


Meet Terry McWilliams

Terry McWilliams leverages business story telling from a daily newspaper reporting background to serve a wide range of IR and PR clients through the company he founded, Mozaic Investor Relations.  A veteran communicator, Terry  focuses on helping corporate clients reach their strategic goals. 

With a background as an award-winning newspaper reporter, Terry is  passionate about issues affecting business. He applied his acumen as a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, as a business reporter for a large Northeast U.S. daily newspaper, and as a contributor to Investor Relations Magazine, USA Today, and other publications. 

Terry launched his corporate communications career in 1989 as VP of Investor Relations at a respected Louisville PR agency. In 1997 he founded Mozaic IR, providing regional companies and organizations ready access to financial investor and PR communications expertise

His series of successful regional "INVEST" equity conferences brought Wall Street to Main Street, showcasing public companies to professional investors. Additionally, his series of successful regional "INVEST" equity conferences brought Wall Street to Main Street, showcasing public companies to professional investors through accessible regional forums outside the Money Centers.  He brings an international perspective from his work with a London-based global IR firm and relationships with economic development officials and corporate communication agencies in Tokyo.

He has served on the board for venture capital and real estate finance organizations in Kentucky and is involved in directing local chapters for the Association for Corporate Growth (Kentucky), and Financial Executives International (Louisville).   He and was instrumental in the founding and operation of the Bluegrass M&A Professionals (BLUEMAP), based in Lexington.

A Louisville native and journalism graduate from the University of Kentucky, Terry earned his MBA at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Targeted resources and expertise


Mozaic works with subject experts in crisis communication, reputation management, corporate responsibility, enterprise risk, providing the infrastructure to scale a solution locally, regionally or nationally.  

“Mozaic was an instrumental partner during our IPO process and as a public company. Their IR execution allowed me to focus on the financial transactions and structure needed to build shareholder value.”

Mark A. Stegeman, as CFO,
Turning Point Brands, Inc.

Services


Financial and Investor Relations

Companies not only are competing for capital -- but in this fast-paced, media-frenzied environment, they're competing for visibility. With the right message and outreach, we foster relationships with influencers, investors and analysts, and carry out comprehensive IR  programs that get the job done.

Corporate Communications

A well-told, engaging story builds understanding, changes perceptions and drives behavior.  It's the heart of an effective campaign to build credibility, reputation and goodwill.

Annual Reports

The annual report is the centerpiece of an IR program, a  document that recaps performance and provides a vision for the future. 

Before we engaged Mozaic, Genlyte’s market capitalization was $400 million and no sellside analysts covered us. Mozaic targeted key analysts and investors with our growth story, and we had nine analysts following us by the time we sold to Philips for $2.8 billion.

William Ferko, as CFO,
Genlyte Group, Inc.

Impact


Investor Relations Case Studies

Explore case studies describing  financial and investor relations issues or challenges that clients were facing, the programs we implemented and the successful outcomes of those solutions. Click the orange "Learn More" box for the following:


Annual Report Case Studies

Each annual report represents an opportunity to tell a company's story of how it generates shareholder value and how it intends to grow and prosper.  See the approaches we took for these very different companies and industries and the results we achieved.  

When it comes to communication and written materials, Mozaic has become our trusted resource.  Terry McWilliams has taken the time to understand the PNC culture and climate. This allows him to operate as an effective extension of our team.

Traci W. Stemmle
VP & Assistant Director of Client and Community Relations, PNC Bank

News


Mozaic and Client News

By Terry McWilliams 24 Jan, 2024
Financial groups join together to host St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank interim president
By Terry McWilliams 27 Jan, 2023
Conference description prepared by Mozaic As the host for the world's most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby, the 1-million+ metropolis of Louisville each year shows off its successes – a vibrant bourbon distilling and tourist ecosystem, a dynamic logistics hub, thriving arts and culinary scenes and an easy paced quality of life. The 2023 Mid-South ACG Capital Connection -- to be held June 14-16 at Omni Louisville -- highlights the region's economic progress and the opportunities ahead. Hosted by the ACG Kentucky and ACG Tennessee chapters for more than a decade, Mid-South brings together leading private equity investors, mezzanine lenders, investment banks and M&A advisors for an investment capital event designed to fuel innovative ideas and corporate growth. We're striving to bring the best of the Kentucky experience - and provide the value and the meaningful connections you expect. Extend your business reach with professionals from across the country also exploring the delights of what Louisville leaders have called "Possibility City." Visit the conference website at https://www.acg.org/kentucky/events/2023-mid-south-acg-capital-connection
By Terry McWilliams 01 Aug, 2022
By TERRY McWILLIAMS Want your next annual report to be horrid? Design a cover so bland, so devoid of substance that it threatens to induce reader narcolepsy. Put as many words as you can in the chairman’s message. Make the sentences really long. Say as little as possible about things that didn’t go right. At the same time, ask employees for digital photos. Their pictures are not only homespun – they’re free. If you do these things, experts say, you’ll have created a document that will have shareholders and the financial community wagging their tongues with colorful language of their own. That’s not the way it is supposed to be. Most companies spend significant amounts of money and time to create these self-administered report cards. For whatever reason -- poor planning, misguided advice or rancid execution – many publicly traded companies produce failing annual reports. All too often management falls victim to one or more of the following Seven Deadly Sins of annual reporting. Deadly Sin 1 -- Flat, uninspired writing “Our objective with this annual report is to offer you detailed information on the conduct of business and the results achieved by the company in 2002.” That’s the Chairman’s opening sentence in the Spanish utility Endesa’s annual report. It’s an example of many reports with banal chairman’s statements that lack personality and underestimate reader intelligence, says Matthew Grenier, who has analyzed reports of the top 100 European companies ranked by the Financial Times . “Sometimes the writing seems to be designed to make the reader close the annual report and walk away,” observes Rebecca McEnally, director of capital markets for CFA Institute, a non-profit organization that administers the worldwide Chartered Financial Analyst program. Long sentences and multiple dependent clauses play havoc with clarity and understanding. Sid Cato knows this first hand. His newsletter critiques annual reports and highlights trends. He penalizes reports with sentences exceeding 16 words, the length professional writers strive to achieve. Long letters also draw Cato’s wrath. He castigates the 23-page letter to Cinergy utility shareholders – a letter six to eight times the worldwide average length – as a reflection of the CEO’s “massive unbridled ego.” An annual report can be glossy, have dramatic graphics and artistic photography, “but it’s a failure if it reads terribly and the investment story lacks impact,” says Martin Hennessey, managing director of The Writer agency in London. “The truth is, a failure to invest in the words is generally a false economy.” Deadly Sin 2 - A boring cover The cover sets the stage and the tone for a company’s report. If it doesn’t lure the reader inside, it has failed. “A cover gets someone to read on, or put it down,” says Suka Design’s Susan Karlin, a New York design agency that produces both corporate and non-profit reports. A cover should grab a reader, be provocative, say something unique and reflect a strong, convincing theme – far more than a rote recitation of name and year, she says. Companies reporting a less-than-stellar year don’t necessarily have to feature “dancing and singing” on their annual report cover. “But make it interesting,” says Richard Carpenter, writing consultant and development director-corporate reporting for Radley Yeldar. Deadly Sin 3 -- Hiding the story Nothing infuriates the investment community more than hiding information or skipping around tough issues. That’s the most common mistake companies make, says the CFA’s McEnally. “It’s simply failing to provide information that people need, and obscuring critical information. Eventually investors find out, and that’s when the lawsuits start. Companies and management fare better in the long run if they are forthcoming,” she says. The European fashion company Vivat Holdings diverted attention in one risque annual report by publishing a photo of a topless woman next to its financial statements. The report didn’t set well with financial commentators or shareholders. Vivat now doesn’t exist as a publicly traded company. In such cases, management sometimes thinks “they can pull the wool over their audience’s eyes. They don’t really care what the outside world thinks,” says Hennessey. Deadly Sin 4 -- Misleading charts and graphs Figures don’t lie, but they can create the wrong impression. Bars in charts can be flip-flopped. At first glance, they can suggest fortunes are rising rather than falling. Large percentage changes can be softened or magnified by changing the starting point on the bar scale. Some companies cherry pick charts for inclusion in good years, but not in bad ones, Carpenter says. Deadly Sin 5 -- Hyperactive design (and its evil alter ego, lethargic design) Overactive design can confuse readers. With its many elements – copy, graphics, photography – competing for dominance, the eye can bounce off the page. The reader is finished trying. In one instance, Sid Cato thought his cat’s hairs had fallen onto the page of an annual he was reviewing. He quickly learned the “hairs” were designer-placed thin curved lines. He’s seen a number of annoying graphic devices – arcs, upside-down type – and yearns for designs that are “clean, inviting and user-friendly.” “Clean” doesn’t mean “bland,” as was the case for one of Gallaher Group’s annual reports and financial statements. “I know the tobacco industry is controversial, but the company’s apparent wish to avoid offending anyone has lead to one of the greyest reports ever,” says Hennessey. Orange S.A.’s report wasn't much better. Investors received a plain Word-like document, with no photos, no chairman statement, no graphs, “and no attempt made, it appears, to engage the reader,” says annual report analyst Matthew Grenier. This from Orange, he says, a “perceived leader of brand communication.” If only more companies’ reports were basic, wishes the CFA’s McEnally. “As a fundamental analyst, I would be delighted if annual reports were plain and not a lot of money was spent on glossy paper and expensive photographs,” she says. “Overdesign, underdesign – that’s a balance you have to strike,” says designer Karlin. “You want to direct the reader and not make him or her struggle. Time is limited. You want to pull them in, hook them, and provide texture to keep them.” Deadly Sin 6 –Type from Hell Poorly used typefaces can stop a reader cold. In Wallace Computer Services’ annual, Sid Cato found that white type on a silver background tended to obscure information -- “especially in a financial highlights listing showing a falloff of net income.” Many type problems occur in the footnotes. “A key problem is increasing amounts of regulation – companies are trying to squeeze additional content into the same space, keeping costs down so they don’t have to print a larger report,” says Carpenter. Thus, companies resort to tighter line spacing and smaller type. The CFA’s McEnally suggests putting narrative information into tabular form where possible. Deadly Sin 7 – Myopic use of photography Digital photography has changed the landscape, says photographer Benjamin Chapnick, president of New York-based Blackstar. Anyone and everyone with an iPhone is an expert. Because amateurs (typically employees) don’t have experience in lighting a subject, framing and composition, backgrounds, thematic development and so on, they produce digital images that are inconsistent and obtained at “no cost.” Images can be corrected to a certain extent, but the power of a professional’s trained eye can’t be replaced. Photography should advance the theme while building the corporate brand, Carpenter says. “Why skimp on doing it right? It makes the company look cheap. If that’s the image the company wants to convey, fine -- but it’s a false economy.” Sometimes purchased photography leads to problems. Designer Karlin remembers when the same stock image showed up on the annual report covers of two technology competitors. “Be original or both will look bad,” she says. A final word At best, poor reports can lose readers, experts say. At worst, they damage corporate credibility and reputation. Good or bad, the annual report look, feel and message is ultimately the CEO’s responsibility. “An annual report is the number one opportunity to really create a positioning for the company and to set itself apart” with a compelling investment story, says Debbie Mitchell, former NIRI chairman and senior managing director of IR at Dix and Eaton in Cleveland. The biggest sin may be squandering that opportunity. (Photo credit: U.S. Geological Service.)
By Terry McWilliams 16 Feb, 2022
I ran across this video from Seeking Alpha today and thought it provided a good explanation of the steps a company takes for an initial public offering.
15 Jul, 2020
Investor audiences, at the best of times, have a limited attention span for company presentations, says the National Investor Relations Institute. Today's new virtual world requires a much greater focus on clear, concise messaging. NIRI says to effectively engage and hold audience attention, virtual investor meetings must be developed with different mindset and new best practices. NIRI's interactive half-day live virtual workshop on Oct. 6 shows how to create a compelling investor presentation and hold a successful investor day. Winning in the New World of Virtual Presentations and Investor Days is open to NIRI members ($295) and non-members ($345). Click on the program title to visit NIRI's website. (Source: National Investor Relations Institute)
07 Jul, 2020
FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES INTERNATIONAL The term “going public” has taken on new meaning for corporate entities that have already embraced blockchain technology, as well as those that are only beginning to understand its potential benefits. Whereas in the recent past, enterprises overwhelmingly built or joined private or commissioned blockchains, today many instead are recognizing the potential value in participating in a public blockchain and are looking to “go public.” Over the past 18 months, key changes and developments in blockchain technology have elevated its profile and applicability. Early enthusiasm for blockchain use in less-than-ideal circumstances sometimes resulted in disillusionment in the technology, which persisted until users became more realistic about blockchain’s potential and focused instead on best-use scenarios. Full story
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Contact Us


Achieving your goals 

To discuss your investor relations and corporate communication objectives, contact Mozaic IR using the form below and we'll be in touch. Or call Terry McWilliams directly at 502.410.2113.

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