A Tribute to Dan Edelman

Today we mourn the passing of industry pioneer Dan Edelman, who died at 92 earlier today. Dan founded Edelman in 1952 and now the firm is among the most respected in our field.

A pioneer in the public relations industry for his vision of integrating public relations into marketing campaigns, he played a pivotal role in shaping the model for the modern day public relations agency and increasing the sophistication of our business.

Perhaps you have noticed that Edelman’s agency advertising campaign and its celebration of its 60th anniversary saluted Dan’s hard work, his ethics and his values. It was a smart and impressive way to honor Dan and enable him to see the impact he had. It also underscores what a huge loss this is to the family and to the firm.

While Edelman and Ketchum are business competitors in some settings, we both belong to the broader public relations community and appreciate the leadership that propels our industry forward. As a renowned industry leader and a true gentleman, Dan Edelman will be deeply missed.

On behalf of all of us at Ketchum, we express our condolences to Richard, his family and everyone at Edelman.

Rob Flaherty, CEO and Ray Kotcher, Chairman