SHANGHAI, CHINA — David Finn, co-founder of leading global communications agency, Ruder Finn, and widely recognized as a founding father of the public relations industry, celebrates his 100th birthday today.
David Finn founded Ruder Finn in 1948, with his friend and business partner Bill Ruder. Operating as Chairman and CEO for over 70 years, David helped push the boundaries of the communications world, establishing the model for a modern public relations agency in Ruder Finn. In 2015, he was inducted into PRWeek’s Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of the communications industry and the establishment of the PR profession. Throughout his career, David cemented the role of Communications in the C-suite and elevated Ruder Finn’s position as a global communications leader.
David’s talents extend far beyond the communication industry. He is a widely celebrated photographer and supporter of the arts, and published over 100 books of photography of sculpture – a second, and prolific, career he began by first capturing by camera Gustav Vigeland’s sculptures while in Norway with his wife, Laura, resulting in a book titled, Embrace of Life: The Sculpture of Gustav Vigeland. From there, he went on to have his photography exhibited at shows around the world. Throughout his lifetime, David has also served as an adjunct professor of public relations at New York University, as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and as a member of the Advisory Council for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“David always says time is elastic. What he means is that you can always do more, but you must prioritize the things that are most important to you. This has really stuck with me, and I continue to instill this thinking into the core of our business,” says Kathy Bloomgarden, David’s daughter, and current CEO of Ruder Finn. “When we are inspired to act on something, we will always find the time and energy to dive into a project that comes along. That inspiration and drive is how my father started Ruder Finn and it is how we continue to infuse passion and creativity into our culture today.”
David has always championed that you have to be factual in how you approach client challenges and always encouraged us all at Ruder Finn to take a step back and look at each scenario from multiple angles. David stands for the value of multiple vantage points, which is increasingly important in an era of constant change and disruption
