I have been on vacation for the past two weeks and apologize for my absence from the blogosphere. I needed the time to relax, read, play tennis, and ride my bike, to say nothing of my fearless efforts to body-surf. While on vacation, I read Howard Paster’s obituary in The New York Times. I thought that I could add a bit of color to a story largely about his career in politics.
Howard was truly a decent man, devoted to his family and to his profession. He did not just walk—he bounced like Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. He radiated intelligence and had an opinion on subjects far and wide. He wore the most old-school white tennis hat on the courts at the Seminar (I teased him that he looked vaguely nautical).
Though a Washington insider, he was always one of us, never conveying any sense of superiority. He was utterly unflappable. When he and I were called in to advise Tony O’Reilly, CEO of Heinz, on litigation and Congressional hearings about Weight Watchers advertising, he teased O’Reilly, a former rugby star, saying, “all of this over a few tray liners written by over-zealous marketers!”
When Howard was brought in to run Hill & Knowlton after his stint in the Clinton White House, he brought the agency back to its high-class status and top position in the industry. He re-energized a dispirited employee group and was particularly effective with the senior team. He helped bring in important clients such as P&G and Eli Lilly.
Under his watch, H&K became the first of the major PR firms to headquarter in Washington. He was able to forge a complete package of public affairs services, from public relations to lobbying to grassroots to advertising through a series of smart acquisitions. When he left for a senior role at WPP, H&K was #2 in the PR rankings.Howard was the first person at the board level of a holding company to represent public relations in its fullest iteration.I have been on vacation for the past two weeks and apologize for my absence from the blogosphere. I needed the time to relax, read, play tennis, and ride my bike, to say nothing of my fearless efforts to body-surf. While on vacation, I read Howard Paster’s obituary in The New York Times. I thought that I could add a bit of color to a story largely about his career in politics.
Howard was truly a decent man, devoted to his family and to his profession. He did not just walk—he bounced like Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. He radiated intelligence and had an opinion on subjects far and wide. He wore the most old-school white tennis hat on the courts at the Seminar (I teased him that he looked vaguely nautical).
Though a Washington insider, he was always one of us, never conveying any sense of superiority. He was utterly unflappable. When he and I were called in to advise Tony O’Reilly, CEO of Heinz, on litigation and Congressional hearings about Weight Watchers advertising, he teased O’Reilly, a former rugby star, saying, “all of this over a few tray liners written by over-zealous marketers!”
When Howard was brought in to run Hill & Knowlton after his stint in the Clinton White House, he brought the agency back to its high-class status and top position in the industry. He re-energized a dispirited employee group and was particularly effective with the senior team. He helped bring in important clients such as P&G and Eli Lilly.
Under his watch, H&K became the first of the major PR firms to headquarter in Washington. He was able to forge a complete package of public affairs services, from public relations to lobbying to grassroots to advertising through a series of smart acquisitions. When he left for a senior role at WPP, H&K was #2 in the PR rankings.Howard was the first person at the board level of a holding company to represent public relations in its fullest iteration.
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