Michael Kempner, Founder and CEO of leading independent public relations agency MWWPR, has been named to PRWeek’s 2020 Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was started in 2013 to recognize professionals in the communications industry who have made outstanding contributions to its development and paved the way for the modern world of public relations.
Kempner started MWWPR in 1986 and has since grown the agency into one of the largest independent firms in the world, with eight office locations across the United States and United Kingdom, and a diverse client portfolio that spans corporate reputation, consumer, business to business, crises, digital and creative services in categories from health and wellness to technology, financial services, retail, food and beverage, and sports and entertainment. He has been recognized for his forward-thinking leadership, being among the first agencies to shift to a single P&L model and implement unlimited PTO benefits. He is a nationally recognized authority on reputation management, crisis communications, public affairs, business to business, consumer marketing and corporate brand purpose, and has counseled some of the world’s most prominent executives, organizations and companies. Kempner is known for his candor, commitment to community service and personal attention to client needs and employee satisfaction. He is an author and speaker on a variety of public relations, management, entrepreneurship, and marketing topics.
“In my 34 years in business the importance of integrated public relations has never been more consequential than it is today. With the rise of the CorpSumerTM, everything a company does internally and externally is critical to corporate reputation. Recent issues such as Covid-19, social justice reform and cancel culture have given communicators a key seat at the C-Suite table that is not likely to change anytime in the future. Combined with full suites of integrated services, creative content, and tools that measure the value of our services, this may be the golden age of our profession,” said Michael Kempner, Founder and CEO of MWWPR. “Succeeding in today’s environment requires more agility and creative curiosity to create true influence, and being a mid-size, independent firm with scale gives us a unique advantage in moving quickly and being closer to the needs of our clients. I want to thank our client partners and team members for making me look good for more than 34 years now.”
Kempner has previously been honored with many of the industry’s highest accolades, including PRWeek‘s PR Professional of the Year in 2015 and 2010. Additional awards and recognitions include the PR Executive of the Year Award from the International Business Awards in 2014, 2013 and 2012; Grand Prize for Communications Professional of the Year from the Alumni Recognition Award from American University in 2013; PR Executive of the Year by the 2013 and 2012 American Business Awards. PR News also named Michael Agency Leader of the Year in 2013 and CSR Professional of the Year in 2012, and he was inducted into the PR News Hall of Fame in 2009.
Beyond industry involvement, Kempner is an active member of his community and progressive politics. He was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a Governor of the Broadcasting Board of Governors/U.S. Agency for Global Media where he helped direct all U.S. international media including the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Middle East Broadcast Network, and Radio Free Asia serving on each of their boards. Kempner continues to serve on the Board of the U.S. Open Technology Fund, the primary U.S. organization supporting tools and services to keep the internet free and open for oppressed people around the world. Michael was appointed by President Obama to the White House Council for Community Solutions where he helped craft and author guidelines for creating programs that address the critical issue of disengaged youth–the 4.6 million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither enrolled in school nor participating in the labor market.
Michael is the chairman of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and a member of the American University Board of Trustees, PR Council Board of Directors, New York Coalition for the Homeless Board, Fulbright-Canada Scholarship Board, and a founding Board Member of ConnectOne Bank, one of the nation’s most successful community banks (NASDAQ: CNO).
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