Matthew Harrington, our Executive Vice Chairman, received the SABRE Individual Achievement Award for distinguished service in public relations at PRovoke Media’s North American SABRE Awards this evening. I want to add my own thoughts about a man who has been such a singular force in the success of Edelman over the past four decades.
His first day at the firm is the stuff of legend. I met Matt through his cousin Becky, who was the girlfriend of my pal Dave Wagener in college. Matt came to our New York office at 1775 Broadway. I quickly concluded that he was bright and energetic, hiring him on the spot. We were short of staff, so I sent him out right away to help our client Scitex on its first quarterly earnings release since listing on Nasdaq. I had not thought to ask Matt whether he had done one of these before. Our client, Arthur Low, gamely guided Matt through the process and the release went out on time.
As one of our rising young executives, Matt put his hand up to move to the West Coast in the early 90s to lead our growing Visa International relationship out of the San Francisco office. He was then named General Manager when the incumbent moved to the client and ultimately became Head of West Coast Operations. Among the clients he attracted to Edelman during his tenure on the left coast were Starbucks and Charles Schwab, which are still pillars of DJE’s business. He was the first dedicated client leader to Microsoft and among the first Edelman executives to work with Samsung Electronics; his relationship with both companies continues today.
Through his work as both a client and CEO counselor, he has helped elevate and redefine the role of today’s communications professional. He has led our clients and our firm through defining moments post 9/11: Leading the Cantor Fitzgerald grieving center at the Pierre Hotel, the 2008 financial crisis and the recovery from COVID. One of his most groundbreaking engagements was with Odwalla, where he helped pioneer the use of the internet for crisis management, providing real-time updates to consumers on product safety and earning a PRSA Silver Anvil for best Communications Campaign of 1997.
Matt has been a leader on the ethical practice of public relations. He helped establish our firm’s core set of values and has been outspoken in his role as board member at USC Annenberg School’s Center for Public Relations to ensure that graduates take these values into the workplace. He has worked closely with our Crisis and Issues team to fight disinformation.
As our Chief Operating Officer for the past fifteen years, he has been my true partner in growing the business to its nearly $1 billion level. He has carried the flag for the Edelman brand to our far-flung markets, presenting the Edelman Trust Barometer, doing new business development, and meeting with opinion leaders in Davos. He is the calm, cool operator who has translated nascent ideas such as the Circle of Cross Influence into revenue and top client service.
It is important to note that he has balanced work and family life. He is an incredible husband, father and now grandfather. He has been a role model to so many in the company, mentoring Judy Mackey, Justin Blake, Lisa Sepulveda, Russell Dubner and my three daughters. I have also been the direct beneficiary of Matt’s wisdom; he is a trusted counselor whose judgment and perspective have guided me through many of the firm’s most important moments.
He has also done impressive community service on the board of his alma mater, Denison University, and Classic Stage Theatre (you need to know that Matt gave up a promising acting career to go into PR).
Matt is the epitome of the Edel-person, smart, devoted to clients, global-minded and committed to excellence. I congratulate Matt on his well-deserved award and count on him for many more years of partnership.
Richard Edelman is CEO.
