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Happy 20th Birthday MWW Group: Celebrating By Giving Back
October 19, 2006

A few weeks ago, MWW Group celebrated its 20th anniversary. Looking back over those 20 years it's almost impossible to comprehend how we went from one person (me) in one office to 250 people in 11 offices...how we went from an unknown agency in 1986 to the 2006 Agency of the Year and have become one of the ten largest firms in the United States. It is hard to imagine how we ran an agency before computers, email, blackberries and the internet. We started with one red IBM electric typewriter (thank god for my high school typing teacher) and a fax machine that printed on silver paper and took 7 minutes to receive one page...in those days we barely even used Fed Ex. While I always knew we would be successful, I never imagined the incredible success we have achieved.

So, what was the secret...to start, tons of hard work...even today, with all the technology we have at our disposal, hard work cannot be substituted. To be successful, you need to commit yourself to creating that success... passion, strategic smart-thinking and unbending perseverance are a major factor in any success. Yes, there were times when we benefited from some timely luck...but those who know me know that I believe that one creates their own luck. Luck doesn't just happen...put yourself in the position to be lucky and you will see how often that "luck" will happen. Simply put, luck is a result of conscious and proactive design.

But, the true secret of our success lies with our people. It could never have been accomplished without hundreds of smart, passionate and loyal employees. If I have learned one thing over the past 20 years, it's that you can only be as good as the people you hire and the people you surround yourself with...hire great people and then give them the tools to accomplish greatness. You can teach someone who wants to learn almost anything, but you can't teach someone to be great. Greatness comes from your heart as much as your head, and I thank each and every one of you for striving to be the best everyday.

And where would MWW Group be without great client partners...whether entrepreneurs or major brands, we have been blessed with some of the greatest client partnerships of any agency in the world...we have been privileged to serve them and to be an important part of their growth.

Celebrating Our Success by Giving Back - Our Partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative

I have been giving a great deal of thought to the appropriate way to celebrate such an important milestone in our history. So, in celebration, we are renewing and accelerating our commitment to give back to the communities that have been so instrumental in our success and to the world in which we live. Today I am pleased to announce a major MWW Group worldwide corporate initiation...in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, MWW Group has pledged $1,000,000 worth of our time and services (over the next three years) to help fight worldwide global health issues, eradicate global poverty and help prevent global warming and climate change. Working with the Clinton Global Initiative, we will be identifying important organizations that can benefit from our services...where public relations and marketing can make a real difference.

Global Network for Neglected Tropical Disease Control

As our first commitment, we have become Agency of Record for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Disease Control (GNNTDC) www.gnntdc.org. Working with the Sabin Vaccine Institute and the GNNTDC, we are charged with raising the profile, treatment and cure for a series of 13 "diseases of poverty" that kill more than 530,000 people annually and impact millions more in some of the poorest, most remote areas of the world. Working with GNNTDC should be an incredible experience for everyone involved.

A Greener MWW Group

Additionally, we will be undertaking several other important corporate responsibility initiatives. First, we will be working to reduce energy consumption in each of our offices and to make MWW Group a "green company." More details will be forthcoming in the next few weeks. Second, we will be launching a dedicated practice utilizing our work with Sun Microsystems and others to work with companies that promote and create "green technologies."

All this will all be in addition to our outstanding and continuing MWW Group CommunityWorks programs.

To those clients and staff that have been with me over these 20 years (can we be that old?)...I can't thank you enough for your friendship, support and incredible hard work. For those of you who are newer members of the MWW Group family, I am excited that you are here and I look forward to you being a critical part of our future.

Posted by Michael Kempner at October 19, 2006 12:04 PM