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It’s been a whirlwind few months at Aston Villa but one man who can handle the storm is Keith Wyness.

After all, Villa’s charming CEO survived Hurricane Andrew back in 1992 and has faced a fair share of difficulties since.

There was the time when he returned to the UK from grief-stricken Florida only to break a bone in his neck after slipping on one of the photographs he’d taken of the twister.

Less painful but equally as demanding were a number of his business adventures.

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At Aberdeen he had to find a way to compete with Rangers and Celtic. At Everton he helped meet the demand for higher finishes.

It’s easy to forget his other business interests given the enormity of the task ahead in the Midlands.

But Wyness is no stranger to a test or two.

In the late 70s he appeared on University Challenge and he’ll be using all of his past experiences to assist him in his toughest assignment yet.

So how has Wyness, the approachable and welcoming yet fiercely driven CEO, set about his first few months at Villa?

Gregg Evans reports.

Improved staff morale

As the man tasked with the day-to-day running of the club, Wyness knew he had to create a feel-good factor in the offices at Villa Park.

The mood was low on the eve of relegation. The largest staff cull for years had also hit the employees hard.

What the workforce needed was a refreshing and friendly new approach. Up stepped the boss.

“I will provide genuine, effective leadership - the staff will know that I’m here, that I care and that I’m listening and I understand,” he told the Birmingham Mail in the summer.

So far he’s stuck to his word. Gone are the days when approaching the CEO is as daunting as a sudden-death penalty kick.

Wyness is big on creating a happy environment and runs an open-door policy when he’s in the building.

He’s also quick to praise those who have performed well. Long-serving secretary Sharon Barnhurst was singled out by the CEO recently.

Transformed the squad

When Roberto Di Matteo assessed his squad and provided a list of recommended targets, owner Tony Xia backed his judgement by stumping up the cash. However without Wyness as the middle-man, the transformation simply wouldn’t have been able to happen.

This gentle giant is affable and pleasant but when it gets down to business there’s a stern streak inside of him.

“He’s a solid, calm character who gets things done - a tough negotiator,” said new technical director, Steve Round.

Moving on 13 players this summer and convincing another nine to join is tough going but the CEO worked wonders to make it happen.

Hired the right people

“This season we’re placing an even bigger emphasis on character,” he said when the transfer window opened.

After a careful and considered managerial search which saw a number of candidates interviewed, Villa decided on Roberto Di Matteo. His personality matched his CV.

Villa had a winner leading the way but they needed winners and leaders in the team.

Recruiting players with Championship experience was essential. Five of the nine signings have won promotion from the second tier and three have previously captained their former clubs.

Wyness also led the charge to bring in the experienced Round. His appointment is a step in the right direction.

Engaged with the fans

Reducing the huge divide between the club and the claret and blue fanbase was one of Wyness’ top priorities when he arrived.

Morale was low, hope and belief had as good as vanished and there was little to lift a disgruntled set of supporters.

Wyness was very keen to engage with a Supporters’ Consultation Group, initially set up by Head of Communications Tommy Jordan and Supporter Liaison Officer Lee Preece.

He was pushing this kind of interaction during his time at Everton and it was music to Villa fans’ ears when they received the invite.

Wyness and Xia met the group for the first time before the 3-0 win against Rotherham at Villa Park. It was well received by all in attendance.

Social media interaction

He might not be as revealing and prolific as Dr Tony when it comes to posting on Twitter. But when you see a tweet from ‘retsub12’ you know it carries weight.

For reference, his social media handle refers to his 12-year-old son, Buster, but it’s the 140 characters that Wyness often uses to provide claret and blue-related updates that interest Villa fans the most.

No previous Villa CEO has used social media to interact and engage with supporters during his time in office so this refreshing new approach has obviously gone down well.

Not everything can be shared publicly but Wyness is clever enough to know what and when to update.

Improved communication

Heard more from the players in recent times? Well that’s down to Wyness, too.

Placing his trust in the Head of Communications Tommy Jordan, players are now made available more often for interview than in previous years.

It will also continue if Villa return to the Premier League despite the increased requirements from foreign media.

New arrivals are told that it’s important to get their thoughts and messages across to supporters whether it’s through the club’s own channels, local or national press, or even on social media.

Player appearances

There was a heart-warming picture doing the rounds on Twitter last month when Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack went to visit a terminally-ill child just days before he passed away.

The Villa duo handed out club merchandise to the him and his family and also posed for pictures. Aaron Tshibola and Gary Gardner visited Birmingham Children’s Hospital on Monday to visit youngsters.

Expect more of that in the future.

Wyness witnessed the benefit of taking the club into the community when he worked at Everton and the players are encouraged and enthused about taking in more voluntary and charity work.

Taking the club back into the community

Recognising the need to give something back to the city, Wyness immediately set about forging closer links between the club and the community when he arrived.

The aim is to introduce more coaching into local schools and develop tighter links with the future generation of Villa fans.

Charities are also set to benefit. Wyness wants Villa to engage and interact with more volunteers to help support the needs of those who are working tirelessly for various causes.

The introduction of a new role (head of foundation) at the club will see a specialist lead this charge with Wyness ably supporting from the top.

Information Technology

Believe it or not, Aston Villa need more than 18 players and a manager to function.

Behind the scenes at both Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath lies a huge network of data that is essential to the day-to-day running of the club.

Wyness has ploughed forward with plans to introduce top-of-the-range software at the club to help make the company more manageable in the future.

The infrastructure is currently being upgraded and no doubt, Wyness, who has a wealth of business knowledge, will put his own spin on the transformation. Another specialist head of department role has been filled.

Respecting club legends

Wyness wants former players to feel welcomed and respected at Villa Park. He’s already reached out to a number of Holte End heroes and will continue to work closely with the likes of Brian Little and Ian Taylor.

He wants those type of people around the club to help create a family feeling and aid Villa’s long-term aims of returning to the higher reaches of the Premier League.