Visionary Professional Services Marketer Recognized by Association for Accounting Marketing
The Association for Accounting Marketing has honored the “first professional services marketer” by creating a Bruce W. Marcus Lifetime Fellowship Member program.
Effective immediately, all members of the 14-year-old AAM Hall of Fame will become lifetime members in remembrance of Bruce W. Marcus. At the 2015 AAM Summit in Orlando, Florida, all present members of AAM’s Hall of Fame were also publicly recognized as Bruce W. Marcus Lifetime Fellows.
Marcus is the author of dozens of books, including Professional Services Marketing 3.0, and was a longtime contributor to CPA Trendlines.
Through a sponsorship provided by Rick Telberg, publisher of CPA Trendlines, each member also received a commemorative pin and a copy of Marcus’ final book. Telberg hosted a commemorative video about Marcus at the Summit.
Incoming AAM president Jack Kolmansberger of Herbein + Company, Inc. noted, “Bruce’s contributions to professional services marketing cannot be underestimated. He established marketing’s role within his firm, and served as a role model for the earliest members of AAM. We are thrilled to continue his legacy through this program which will provide our hall of famers with direct contact back to the organization. We foresee increased sharing of thought leadership with the next generation of accounting marketers – something that Bruce always espoused.”
AAM continued its tradition of annually inducting a new member into the Hall of Fame. The 2015 inductee is long-time esteemed member Michelle Golden, growth leader at K-Coe Isom.
Bruce Marcus is acknowledged as a visionary and advocate for marketing and business development as a professional function within professional services firms. Marcus passed away in December 1, 2014, though his lifetime contributions continue to contribute significantly to the professional field that has been advanced by members of AAM. Through AAM’s connection with Rick Telberg, President and CEO of CPA Trendlines, Marcus’ family has expressed their appreciation for this honor.
His early career included tenure at then Big-Eight firm, Peat Marwick Mitchell, followed by public relations, marketing executive and consultancy roles at many international accounting and law firms. His online newsletter, www.marcusletter.com, began running in 1995 and went on to become one of the most tenured newsletters on marketing for lawyers and accountants.
He also authored more than a dozen books including, most recently, Professional Services Marketing 3.0, which was published in 2011.
Marcus’ influence also impacted some of the profession’s subsequent visionary leaders.
Ron Baker, founder of the Verasage Institute, a think tank for professional knowledge firms, says: “Bruce Marcus was a legend in the field of professional firm marketing. As someone who worked on both sides of the landmark Supreme Court Case of Bates & O’Steen (1977)—which legalized advertising and marketing in the professions—he was an early pioneer in bringing sophisticated marketing strategies to the conservative professions. I am delighted to see AAM is honoring Bruce with the Bruce Marcus Lifetime Fellowship Member program. It will keep his legacy lit in the minds of marketers everywhere, as they better the professions for posterity.”
Honorees into the Bruce W. Marcus Hall of Fame from previous years include veteran AAM members Julie Tucek, Brian Falony, Jayne Bates, Chris Perrino, Marsha Leest, Neil Fauerbach,Karen Love, Leisa Gill, Tracy Crevar Warren, Sally Glick, Suzanne Verity, Howard Wolosky, Melinda Guillemette, Russ Molinar, Alan Koltin, August Aquila, Edward Gabrielse, Warren Garling, Jean Caragher and Adrian Ornik.
AAM hopes the remarkable career of Bruce W. Marcus will continue to inspire future generations of professional services marketers and their firms.
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About the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM)
The Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) is formed specifically to enhance the accounting marketing and practice growth profession through education, networking and thought leadership. Founded in 1989, the association has more than 800 members, comprised of marketing professionals, business developers, CPAs, consultants, service providers, educators and students. AAM strives to help its members become more effective and valued practitioners and executive leaders. To learn more about AAM, please call 443-640-1061 or visit www.accountingmarketing.org.
