About Richard Edelman

Richard Edelman, Advertising Age’s 2008 Agency Executive of the Year, is the president and CEO of Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations firm, with 3,000 employees in 50 offices worldwide. The company, which was named Large PR Agency of the Year 2008 by PR Week, has been a leader in public relations since it was founded in 1952.

Edelman assumed his current position in September 1996. Prior to that, he was president of Edelman’s U.S. operations, regional manager of Europe and manager of the firm’s New York office.

He has extensive experience in marketing and reputation management, with current assignments for Schering-Plough, Swiss Re and Gap. He has particular interest in the technology and media areas, with assignments for Bertelsmann and Viacom.

Edelman worked on the “deal of the year” in 1994—the merger of Viacom, Blockbuster and Paramount—and assisted Deutsche Bank on its 1999 acquisition of Bankers Trust. He has counseled several countries on economic development programs, including Egypt, Israel and Mexico.

He has special understanding of the non-governmental organization (NGO) movement. He has spoken on this topic at several conferences, including the Institute for Social & Ethical AccountAbility, The Conference Board and the World Economic Forum. His research on NGOs has been cited by several publications, including the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Edelman won the Silver Anvil, the highest award in the public relations industry, in 1981. He was named Best Manager of the Year by Inside PR magazine in 1995. More recently, PR Week named Edelman the “The Most Powerful PR Professional” in October 2007.

He serves on the board of directors of the New York Historical Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum, the Arthur Page Society, PR Seminar, the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, the International Council of the Field Museum and the World Corporate Ethics Council. He has also worked on several political campaigns, including Jim Thompson’s run for governor of Illinois and Ed Koch’s New York mayoral campaign.

Edelman holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He lives in New York City with his wife, Roz, and three daughters.

About Rance Crain

Rance Crain is president of Crain Communications Inc. and editor-in-chief of Advertising Age, Crain’s Chicago Business, Crain’s New York Business and TelevisionWeek.

Crain began his career as a reporter for Advertising Age in its Washington bureau and later moved to the publication’s New York and Chicago offices. He was named a senior editor of Advertising Age in 1965, was appointed the first editor of Business Insurance in 1967 and was named editorial director of Crain Communications in 1971. He added the title of company president in 1973. He continues to lead Advertising Age as editor-in-chief and writes a biweekly column for the leading industry publication.

Crain founded four of the company’s influential titles: Pensions & Investments, Crain’s Chicago Business, Crain’s New York Business and Electronic Media (now published as TelevisionWeek).


A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and former sports editor of The Daily Northwestern (1960), Crain is a charter member of Medill’s Hall of Achievement and a proud recipient of the 1992 Northwestern University Merit Award.

Crain works in the New York and Chicago offices of Crain Communications and resides with his wife, Merrilee, in Windermere, Fla. He has two daughters, Heather and Cindi, and five grandchildren.

About the Trust Barometer Survey

The 2008 Edelman Trust Barometer is the firm’s ninth trust and credibility survey. The survey was produced by research firm StrategyOne. It was conducted by a 30-minute telephone survey conducted in October and November 2007. In 18 countries, the survey population included respondents who are between the ages of 35 and 64; college educated; in the top 25% of household income nationally; and report a significant interest and engagement in the media, economic, and policy affairs. The nations represented include United States (400 respondents), China (300), United Kingdom (150), Germany (150), France (150), Italy (150), Spain (150), the Netherlands (150), Sweden (150), Poland (150), Russia (150), Ireland (150), Mexico (150), Brazil (150), Canada (150), Japan (150), South Korea (150), and India (150). In 12 of these countries, opinion leaders aged 25-34 were surveyed: United States (100), China (75), United Kingdom (50), Germany (50), France (50), Russia (50), Brazil (50), Canada (50), Japan (50), South Korea (50), and India (50). This was the first time the Trust Barometer surveyed 25- to 34-year-old opinion elites.