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An issue exists when there is a gap between stakeholder expectations and an organization’s actions, policies, products, or systems. Issue management is the process used to close that gap.

• John Godec is the former Director of Issues Management for the global Semiconductor Products Sector of Motorola Corporation. Developed a corporate program and supervised a staff guiding an $8-billion form to be, and be recognized, as a credible and responsible corporate citizen. Developed and implemented a crisis prevention and management program for 32 manufacturing and design facilities around the world, employing more than 50,000 people.
  
  
• Researched, wrote and produced an agency Sunset Report to the Arizona Legislature to justify the continued mandate and operation of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Effort resulted in the successful extension of the agency charter.
  
  
• Proposed, helped plan, and managed media for the Great Salt River Cleanup, the largest volunteer environmental event ever conducted in the state of Arizona.
  
  Heavy precipitation in December 1992 and January 1993 resulted in flooding and the catastrophic failure of the Tri-City landfill located along the normally dry Salt River bed through the Phoenix metropolitan area.

More than 75,000 cubic yards of solid waste were deposited along 94,000 acres of river bottom. The landfill, located on sovereign Indian Reservation land, fell under limited regulatory authority and traditional cleanup solutions were unattainable. The proposed government, business and volunteer cleanup event was endorsed by the Arizona Governor's office and resulted in a one day cleanup on May 22, 1993.

Twenty-one thousand two hundred forty-seven volunteers removed 26,326 bags of trash from 39 miles of river bottom and shoreline. Media interest necessitated daily radio, television or newspaper interviews from mid-January through May 22, 1993 and included network media coverage the day of the cleanup.

The event made enough money to seed a statewide "Adopt-a-Shore" program for Arizona.

One local television reporter stated "...this single problem and solution resulted in more positive coverage of an environmental issue and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, than all coverage of the agency combined since its inception in 1987."

The event led to a National Association of Professional Environmental Communicators (NAPEC) 1994 award of excellence for John Godec.

• Managed a public information and media campaign to deal with the phase-out and diminishing availability of Freon for auto air-conditioning systems, and the dangers of black market products taking their place. Coordinated the local auto repair industry and EPA involvement, produced public information packets and media kits and hosted a news conference with demonstrations by auto repair technicians. Event attracted extensive news media coverage.
  
  
• Managed public information and community relations for a low income and minority neighborhood believed affected by smoke and residue from a fire which destroyed a semiconductor manufacturing business in Phoenix. Proposed and helped develop an innovative minority community-operated storefront office in the affected neighborhood for health screening and dissemination of information.
  
  
• Served as official spokesperson for the State of Arizona and USEPA in responses to charges of environmental racism for a variety of issues. Invited as a featured speaker at an Arizona State University symposium on environmental racism and helped develop state policy on environmental racism.
  
  
• Hosted and managed highly contentious public meetings in low income and minority communities throughout the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico and dealt with organized public protest.
  
  
• Co-produced a comprehensive communication manual and guide for Motorola workforce redeployment and reductions used by the company during an extensive downsizing effort involving manufacturing and design facilities throughout the United States and Asia.
  
  
• Developed and successfully managed and multi-agency communication strategy, media and community relations effort for for Lake Havasu City, Arizona fecal coliform lake contamination and beach closure issue. Translated technical and policy problems into understandable fact sheets and newsletters, planned, facilitated and hosted public meetings and weekly media updates and briefings,served as news-media spokesperson representing the positions of the Arizona Departments of Environmental Quality and Health Services, USEPA, the Arizona Governor's office, and City of Lake Havasu.