Al Orendorff is chief communications officer at Zurich North America, where he leads a team of 20 communications professionals and is a member of CEO Kristof Terryn’s senior leadership team.

For the past three decades, Orendorff has cultivated a career as a senior-level global public-relations strategist, C-suite counselor, and writer. He has held communications leadership positions at Allstate Insurance; Aon Corp.; Genworth Financial in Richmond, Virginia; Choose Chicago; and now Zurich North America.

Orendorff began his communications career as a journalist, working in local television and radio news, primarily covering state and local government, urban affairs, and education. His journalism career included stints at NBC-TV in Peoria, Black Entertainment Television, and WBEZ and WGN radio in Chicago, winning several awards for news reporting, writing, and production.

A native of Lincoln, Illinois, Orendorff received his bachelor of science in mass communications from Illinois State University. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and a former member of 100 Black Men in Richmond, Virginia. He is also on the Choose Chicago Foundation board.