The Advertising Club of New York

The Advertising Club of New York, also known as The Ad Club and originally called the Sphinx Club, is an advertising industry group promoting self-regulation, professional training and good fellowship. The Advertising Club of New York is the only organization to bring the industry together across all disciplines – marketing, media and agencies – in the name of exchanging ideas and best practices for business and thought leadership. The Club offers the community access to conversations and key influencers, inspiration and recognition for creativity, innovative training for professional development, and networking and diversity initiatives.

Origins
In 1896, a group of eight men working in advertising in New York City began meeting for lunch on a regular basis to share ideas on the business that sustained their livelihood. They called themselves the Sphinx Club, and in 1906 this growing group incorporated as the Advertising Men's League, eventually becoming The Advertising Club of New York in 1915.

Most of The Ad Club's early years were spent at the landmark Stanford White building at 23 Park Avenue, where Ad Club members, including the young Bill Paley, J.C. Penney, and Bill Bernbach, conducted business in the main dining room over lunch.

Initiatives

 * 1906: First formal course in advertising to be offered by an educational institution at New York University (NYU).
 * 1911: The first supporter of the "truth in advertising" program, which remains a hallmark of consumer protection and formed the first "Vigilance Committee", which evolved into today's Better Business Bureau.
 * 1923: Held the first-ever advertising exposition at the 71st Regiment Armory to much acclaim, with an attendance of over 58,000.
 * 1949: Founded the Advertising Hall of Fame immortalizing 10 giants of the industry the first year, and many more until it was turned over to the American Advertising Federation in 1973.
 * 1964: Founded the International ANDY Awards to recognize creative excellence in advertising and to raise the standards of craftsmanship in industry.

List of presidents

 * 2005-Present Gina Grillo, Executive Director
 * 2003–2005   Renee V. H. Simons, Managing Director, J P Morgan Chase
 * 2001 - 2003	Robert Mate, VP/Publishing Director, Meredith Corporation
 * 1999 - 2001	Carla Loffredo, Sr. Partner/Director, Brand Comm, J. Walter Thompson
 * 1998 - 1999	Steven Farella, jordanmcgrathcase & partners
 * 1997 - 1998	Joanne Davis, Bozell Worldwide
 * 1996 - 1997	R. Jeffrey Petersen, Architectural Digest
 * 1995 - 1996	Ronald S. Fierman, Warwick Baker O'Neill
 * 1994 - 1995	Susan C. Russo, The New York Times
 * 1993 - 1994	Wenda Harris Millard, Family Circle
 * 1991 - 1993	Wilder D. Baker, Warwick, Baker & Fiore
 * 1989 - 1991	William F. Marlieb, General Media International
 * 1987 - 1989	Richard D. O'Connor, Lintas: Campbell-Ewald
 * 1985 - 1987	Leslie Winthrop, Advertising Agency Register
 * 1982 - 1985	Judy Guerin de Neco, Judy Guerin, Inc.
 * 1981 - 1982	Michael Chamberlin, Lebhar-Friedman
 * 1979 - 1981	Fred R. Messner, Poppe Tyson
 * 1978 - 1979	Al Ries, Ries, Cappiello, Colwell
 * 1976 - 1978	Michael Chamberlin, Lebhar-Friedman
 * 1974 - 1976	Edward Malluk, Timely Linens
 * 1973 - 1974	Vincent A. Carberry, Precision Valve Corporation
 * 1971 - 1973	Charles E. Ballard, Winius-Brandon Company
 * 1969 - 1971	Milton Riback, Milton Riback, Inc.
 * 1967 - 1969	William T. Leslie, TWA
 * 1964 - 1967	Walter B. Bruce, American Can
 * 1963 - 1964	Mervin P. Bickley, United Airlines
 * 1960 - 1963	Horace H. Nahm, Hooven Letters
 * 1959 - 1960	Gene Flack, Sunshine Biscuit Co.
 * 1957 - 1959	Robert M. Gray, Esso Standard Oil
 * 1955 - 1957	Thomas B. Haire, Haire Publishing
 * 1953 - 1955	George A. Phillips
 * 1951 - 1953	George S. McMillan, Bristol-Myers
 * 1950 - 1951	Frank M. Head, United Cigar-Whelan Stores
 * 1948 - 1950	Andrew J. Haire, Haire Publishing
 * 1946 - 1948	Eugene S. Thomas, Bamberger Broadcasting Service
 * 1944 - 1946	Allan T. Preyer, Vick Chemical Company
 * 1942 - 1944	John A. Zellers, Remington Rand
 * 1941 - 1942	I.S. Randall
 * 1939 - 1941	G. Lynn Sumner, G. Lynn Sumner Co.
 * 1937 - 1939	Lowell Thomas, television anchor
 * 1935 - 1937	H.B. LeQuatte, Churchill-Hall Advertising
 * 1932 - 1935	Grover A. Whalen, John Wanamaker
 * 1930 - 1932	Charles E. Murphy, Murphy, Block, Sullivan & Sawyer
 * 1929 - 1930	James Wright Brown, Editor & Publisher
 * 1927 - 1929	Gilbert T. Hodges, New York Sun
 * 1925 - 1927	James P. Gillroy Charles C. Green, Charles C. Green Advertising Agency
 * 1923 - 1925	H.H. Charles, H.H. Charles Advertising Service
 * 1922 - 1923	C. King Woodbridge, The Dictaphone Co.
 * 1921 - 1922	Frank E. Fehlman, Churchill-Hall Advertising
 * 1919 - 1921	George W. Hopkins, Columbia Gramophone Co.
 * 1919 - 1919	F.A. Wilson-Lawrenson, Associated Press
 * 1917 - 1919	George B. Sharpe, DeLaval Separator Co.
 * 1914 - 1917	Harry Tipper, Automotive Industries
 * 1908 - 1914	William H. Ingersoll, Robert Ingersoll & Bros.
 * 1907 - 1908	Gerald B. Wadsworth
 * 1906 - 1907	Charles Capehart
 * 1896 - 1905	Data not available

Thirteen Presidents from the first 20 years of the organization include: M.M. Gillam, Artemas Ward, Herbert B Harding, Frank Presbrey, F. James Gibson (founder and first president), Samuel Brill, Phillip A Conne, W.R. Hotchkin, George B Van Cleve, Collin Armstrong, E.D. Gibbs, Henry C Brown and Preston P Lynn.