A Leader and a Gentleman

No man has influenced the Washington advertising profession more than Henry J. Kaufman. Yet, the qualities that always struck me about Henry were his uncommon humility and humanity.

I met Henry for the first time years ago in an elevator, at an Ad Club function. I must have seemed intimidated by his reputation. Yet, he put me at ease immediately, and went on to become a professional mentor and friend for many years.

A pioneer in the field of advertising, Henry got his first job as a classified ad salesman in Washington in 1923. He launched his own agency in 1929, which prospered under his stewardship in the midst of the Depression. You see, Henry set standards of professionalism for the entire community. He was the first to develop marketing strategies for his clients, and to offer creative services supporting these strategies. His agency was also one of the first in Washington to acquire national and international accounts.

Henry mentored literally hundreds of professionals in our area. He taught through his stories, which he shared with us regularly over lunch, sometimes with our friend Dan Rosenthal.

A man of many accomplishments, Henry was guided by principles of integrity, forthrightness and work ethic. Today more than ever, we need to follow the example he set for all of us and apply its meaning to our lives and businesses. I would like to share these memories of Henry with the upcoming generation of marketing, advertising and public relations professionals who never got the chance to meet him in person.

So allow me to introduce you to Henry Kaufman, a man who loved his job so much that he never worked a day in his life!

Joyce Bosc

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Read "The Way it Was," a piece authored by Henry J. Kaufman that originally ran in AdTimes.