By: Karina Valdes
Bill Koenigsberg, B.B.A. ’77, can add one more award to his impressive collection. Later this year, he will be inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Fame, one of the greatest recognitions an advertiser can receive.
Only one of eight inductees for 2019, Koenigsberg founded Horizon Media in 1989 and grew the firm into the largest privately-held media agency in the world. He is currently its president, CEO, and founder. A few of the clients represented by Horizon Media include Burger King, LG Electronics, and GEICO.
“Bill is widely known in the advertising world as a thought leader with an eye to the future. His intelligence and tenacity built Horizon Media into a powerhouse agency, still independently owned in a world dominated by corporate mergers and conglomerates. There is no one more deserving to be in the Hall than Bill. I am exceptionally proud of and for him,” said Gregory J. Shepherd, dean of the University of Miami School of Communication.
Apart from his professional career, Koenigsberg is a philanthropist and one of the principal donors for the Koenigsberg & Nadal Interactive Media Center (IMC) at the School of Communication. Dedicated in December of 2016, the IMC is the home for Orange Umbrella, the School of Communication’s student consultancy which provides communication services to clients across the nation.
“From my very first meeting with Bill, he emphasized to me the importance of experiential learning. He firmly believed that students studying communication, in particular, needed to practice what they were learning in the classroom in a real-world environment. And, of course, with his very generous donation to the Koenigsberg & Nadal Interactive Media Center and the student consultancy housed there, Orange Umbrella, he acted on his belief,” said Shepherd.
The IMC is a state-of-the-art space for collaborative learning and professional experiences. The center gives students a sophisticated area to work on projects and apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in a space as novel as their ideas. And through Orange Umbrella, students work with clients to develop communication strategies and materials in a thriving hub of innovation that combines experiential learning and entrepreneurship.
“Bill Koenigsberg’s gift to the IMC speaks to his kindness and to his vision. Through his generosity, he is investing in the education of future communication and business leaders, all who are gaining priceless hands-on experience in Orange Umbrella and in the School of Communication at the University of Miami,” said Melissa Jane Barnes, managing director for the IMC.
Recipients for this year’s Advertising Hall of Fame were announced at the New York Stock Exchange at the ringing of the closing bell. To be considered, a nominee must have an extraordinary career in advertising spanning more than 35 years or already be retired from their main career. They must also have made remarkable contributions to the field of advertising. Nominations are reviewed by the Advertising Hall of Fame Council of Judges and honorees are inducted based on their service to the field of advertising. The 2019 induction ceremony takes place on April 30 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
