COMMUNICATION MEMO AND PRESS RELEASE

The  company with which you are currently employed is experiencing a  financial crisis. The chief financial officer (CFO) has suddenly  resigned and no one is discussing the reasons. The U.S. Securities and  Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating your company's accounting  practices and from the documents they have requested, the issue seems to  concern revenue recognition. Rumors are beginning to circulate that  suggest inappropriate behavior on the part of your company. The  organization is a publicly traded company and, as such, the company is  required to issue a public notice concerning the sudden vacancy of the  CFO. As a certified public accountant on the team drafting the notice,  you are involved in communicating the current situation to the general  public.

Write a press release of no more than 700 words. 

Use the Public Relations Writing link to determine how you will format your press release.

Write an accompanying internal memo of no more than 700 words to your manager.

Include the following in your memo:

• Outline what your company is legally required to do.
• Explain the value of the public communication in this situation.
• Examine the balance between calming external stakeholders and the  ethical considerations of providing all the information that is required  by the SEC.
• Explain how the perception of the press release will affect public opinion.