Charles McNair

Who is Charles McNair?

Charles McNair is a widely known communication consultant to Fortune 100 and other companies and a critically acclaimed novelist and writer. He is a highly sought communication strategist and wordsmith, known for his ability to communicate in the voice of the C-suite or the person on the street. His writing career includes editor roles at national and regional magazines, with his byline appearing in numerous influential publications.

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The Books

The Epicureans

This thriller is a meditation on evil, innocence, twisted appetites, and the bonds of family. It features a villain to rival Hannibal Lecter, a heroic father who would feel comfortable on a porch with Atticus Finch, and a mother whose love conquers … almost … all.

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• Listen to the first two chapters (headphones recommended)

Content warning: This sample reading from The Epicureans contains disturbing subject matter. Listener discretion is advised.

Play It Again, Sam: The Notable Life of Sam Massell, Atlanta’s First Minority Mayor

In 1969, Sam Massell was elected the first Jewish mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. Politically, Massell changed Atlanta's city elections to nonpartisan, created Atlanta's Urban Design Commission, allowed Muhammad Ali to fight when fifty other cities would not, established Metro Atlanta's mass transit system (MARTA), appointed the first woman to the City Council, named the first Blacks to city department head status, and developed the Omni, Atlanta's first enclosed arena. Most importantly, his legacy will be his peaceful guidance of Atlanta (then population 500,000) through its transformation from an all-White power structure to a Black city government.

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Speaking & Workshops

Charles McNair combines decades of corporate communications work with a novelist's storytelling sensibility. His workshop will inspire and direct your team while delivering actionable direction you can immediately apply to your company's communications strategy.

Charles McNair combines decades of Fortune 500 corporate communications work with an award-winning novelist's storytelling sensibility. His workshop will inspire, bond, and motivate your team while delivering actionable ideas that leaders can immediately apply to strategic communication, internal or external.How does it work?A primary challenge faced by most every leader and every communication team in the world can be summed up in a single word:Clutter.How do leaders and teams today create communication that engages and compels audiences – communication that is heard – when so many other competing organizations are simultaneously clamoring to sell their messages to the same audiences?There’s a simple answer.Creativity of messaging – storytelling – becomes a competitive advantage.Good storytelling engages stakeholders in ways that make an emotional connection. Data and facts – information – can support decision-making, but truly influencing behavior depends on touching emotions. Stories that touch the emotions have a unique ability to dispel skepticism and disbelief. Stories stand apart as our very best tool, tried and true, for motivating, persuading, convincing, and leading those we serve.The proof is all around us. In a sales meeting, if you tell your story better, you win the client. In a courtroom, if you tell your story better, you win the case. In an election, if you tell your story better, you win the office.The Power of Story workshop shows leaders and teams ways to differentiate their communication from other products that clutter desks, airways, and minds. Leaders learn practical ways to develop creativity in thinking, messaging, and writing. Storytelling is the backbone element you can use to cut through the clutter and catalyze new ways of winning business … and growing.

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• Writer Charles McNair lives high in the Andes, but his roots are in south Alabama.

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I appreciate your interest in my "Power of Story" workshop and other speaking opportunities. You will hear from me or my staff soon to discuss how I could support the communication goals of your organization. Have a great day!

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Charles McNair: A Life in Words
(and Baseball)

Charles McNair is a widely known corporate communications consultant and critically acclaimed novelist. He has served Apple, The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Wal-Mart, Merck, Pfizer, BellSouth, CNN, Michelin, TNT, MillerCoors, XEROX, Kaiser Permanente, Wells Fargo, Synovus, Accenture, Hartmann Studios, Cushman & Wakefield, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport, Georgia Power Company, Emory University, University of Virginia, University of Georgia, Georgia State University, AFLAC, Waste Management, Tenet HealthSystems, Coca-Cola Latin America, and other large, mid-cap, and small organizations in the U.S. and abroad.Charles’s background as an award-winning journalist and creative writer, paired with extensive corporate experience, uniquely positions him as a consultant, communicator, and story/brand creator. He’s a founding member of the Executive Leadership Communication Council at Darden School of Business (University of Virginia), a think-tank of high-level corporate, academic, and White House writers/executives. He’s also a founding member of Story State (formerly the New Narrative Festival), hosted annually by Mississippi State University.The Alabama native’s debut novel, Land O' Goshen (St. Martin's Press, 1994) received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for fiction. His 2013 novel, Pickett’s Charge, was a finalist for the most prestigious literary awards in the state of Georgia. His groundbreaking history of the life of former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell, Play It Again, Sam, published in 2017. A third novel, The Epicureans, arrived in 2021 from Irish publisher Tune & Fairweather.From 1987-1996, Charles held various positions, including Director-Internal Communications, at BellSouth Corporation (now AT&T). He coordinated communication strategies and messaging for 11 BellSouth companies, including international and cellular organizations, and served as editor of BellSouth Magazine. In 1997-1998, he worked as Business Editor for South. magazine, bestowed eight awards by the Magazine Association of Georgia, including best magazine in the state.Publications, bylines, and articles include titles in The New York Times, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Bitter Southerner, CNN Opinion, Saturday Review, USA Today, Paste, Southern Living, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Southern Accents, Atlanta Magazine, Cooking Light, Omni, and many other publications.He has been a weekly business commentator on Atlanta’s public radio affiliate, WABE-FM, and a literary reviewer for Canada Broadcasting Company’s Sunday Morning Live. His book reviews appeared internationally in the London Times Literary Supplement and in Atlanta on WMLB 1690 AM. He’s been a guest business commentator on NPR’s Marketplace, and he served from 2005-2015 as Books Editor for Paste magazine, multiple times a finalist for the General Excellence award of the American Magazine Association.In 1979, Charles played a season as third baseman for the Verona Arsenal, helping his team reach the regional championship game for northeastern Italy. He currently lives and works in Bogotá, Colombia, with his wife and family.