Michael Critelli, executive chairman of Pitney Bowes Inc., has launched a new blog that draws on his experience as a global business executive, community leader and independent thinker with perspectives on major social, political and business issues.
The blog, “Open Mike,” will feature regular posts and responses to readers who engage with him on the ideas he presents.
The first post, “Why I Blog,” is a manifesto of sorts that outlines for readers the key topics that Critelli will address through his writing. His main areas of interest include the future of mailstream communications, healthcare policy, leadership, corporate governance and ethics, government effectiveness and environmental issues.
Critelli indicated that his blog, begun June 13, features unconventional views.
“I want to get a point across in a medium that is more flexible than many media that we use to communicate our messages,” he said. “I tend to pick less glamorous thing to focus on, and I have unusual perspectives. I’d like to let others hear about the road less traveled.”
With respect to many controversial topics he will cover, Critelli said: “There are feasible solutions that need broader testing. However, for a variety of reasons, media, political and broad public consensus tends to form around unworkable solutions. I hope to shed more light and less heat on these issues, and I look forward to engaging with those who are as passionate as I am about true progress.”
Critelli is an honored corporate executive who served as CEO of Pitney Bowes for more than a decade. In addition to his business leadership experience, which includes serving as a director of Eaton Corp. and as chairman of the Mailing Industry CEO Council, Critelli sits as chairman or a board member of the National Urban League, Catalyst, Dossia (an electronic medical records initiative), the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Board and the Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration.
He previously served on the Connecticut Transportation Advisory Board.
Critelli said the blog was particularly important for the mailing industry.
“The mainstream media does not give us much coverage,” he said. “[Blogs are] a medium in which content can get out as intended by the person who is trying to communicate and I like that. It is truly an editorial [endeavor] as opposed to a promotional one.”
