History

The FCS traces its origins to 1967 when a group of industry colleagues, who were meeting regularly at the famed restaurant Harry’s at Hanover Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, decided to formalize their gatherings. They created “The Advertising & PR Association of Wall Street.” Then in 1970, they changed the name to Financial Communications Society. Although we know little about the FCS’ activities over its first two decades, we have retained a full list of those professionals who served as the organization’s volunteer President. We also have an annual roster of Board Directors since 2005. In 2009, we formalized the governance and size of the Board (maximum of 25) with a new set of by-laws.

List of FCS Board Directors (2005-Present)

We have preserved the list of volunteer FCS Board Directors since 2005. Note that some whose start year shows 2005 may have begun their tenure prior to that year.

  • 2011-2012, 2015-2016 Abel, Gordy BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, Google, Dynasty Financial Partners
  • 2024-Present Alex, Max Mizuho Americas
  • 2009 Anderson, Nicolle Forbes
  • 2016-2024 Armstrong, Nia Investing Media Solutions, Captivate
  • 2011-2012, 2014-2015 Bacon, Chris Morgan Stanley, Allianz
  • 2016-2018 Baker, Renée Aberdeen, Carillon Tower Advisors
  • 2012-2015 Bales, Rebecca Pershing
  • 2005-2006 Begley, Bob Dow Jones
  • 2013-2020 Bekele, Abiy SmartBrief
  • 2013-2022 Bernardo, Nick Washington Post
  • 2015-2017 Bindra, Kimberly Duff & Phelps
  • 2023-Present Brady, Katy Invesco
  • 2019-Present Brent, Hailey Citi, BNY Mellon Wealth
  • 2010-2017 Briggs, Dave Newspaper National Network, SmartBrief
  • 2009-2010 Brookbanks, Tom mediaedge:cia
  • 2008-2009 Brown, Lee Yahoo!
  • 2015-2023 Buntin, Brent Yext, Code and Theory
  • 2012-2015. 2022-2023 Burkhoff, Stuart Ameriprise, Goldman Sachs
  • 2006-2014 Claflin, Andrew Barron’s
  • 2024-Present Clunies, Greg Ameriprise Financial
  • 2008-2009 Confrey, Rich Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek
  • 2005-2008 Consavage, Maureen USA Today
  • 2008 Cooke, Jennifer Forbes
  • 2007-2013 Daddio-Larsen, Jo-Ann Citi, UBS, Larson Associates
  • 2010-2012 Derbick, John MetLife
  • 2005 DiMassimo, Mark Dimassimo Carr
  • 2018-Present Divney, Katherine Seeking Alpha, Investopedia, Dotdash Meredith
  • 2014-2015 Dixson, Charlie CNBC
  • 2007 Dixson-Hobbs, Eleanor BusinessWeek
  • 2011-2012,2014 Dreisbach, RuthAnne Dreisbach Design, Capital Peak
  • 2023-Present Fabiaschi, Tad Dianomi, Business Insider
  • 2010 Fellows, Trevor Bloomberg
  • 2009-2012 Foothorap, Robert CNBC
  • 2013-2020 Fritze, Bob Investopedia, Accuweather, Pivot Leaders
  • 2023-Present Gutowski, Anna Informa, White Spider Media
  • 2021-Present Hart, Krissie Reuters
  • 2005-Present Hart, Tim Financial Times, Ptarmigan Media
  • 2009 Haskel, Tony Condé Nast Portfolio
  • 2008-2018 Henderson, Hayward International Herald Tribune, Asset International, Asset.tv, Investis, Pitchbook, Career
  • 2010-2014 Hickerson, Matthew UBS, Macquarie
  • 2009-2012 Humphreys, Jon Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase
  • 2010-Present Jago, Tom The Ward Group
  • 2009-2013 James, Teri CIT, Conning Asset Mgmt
  • 2016-2020 Johnston, Ken Facebook
  • 2017, 2019-2024 Kalfus, Jaime J.P. Morgan Asset Management, PGIM
  • 2005-2009 Kantor, Lenore BNY Brokerage, ISE, FXall
  • 2005-2008 Kasindorf, Matt OMD
  • 2014-Present Katz, Etienne Wall Street Journal, Twitter, CNBC | NBCUniversal, IDG
  • 2018-2020 Kennelly, John Wall Street Journal | Barron’s Group, Ascot Group
  • 2007-2010 King, Vicki Forbes, Fortune
  • 2024-Present Konowitz, Christopher Hearst Magazines
  • 2006-2007 Kosinski, Richard Yahoo!
  • 2019-2023 LaPierre, Kevin CME Group, BlackRock
  • 2018-2024 Leibowitz, Paul Leibowitz
  • 2005-2007, 2018-Present List, Karen New York Times, LMG, List Connects
  • 2005-2006 Manowitz, Lisa Yahoo!
  • 2008-2011 Mason, Marie USA Today
  • 2009-Present McCormick, John New Yorker, Condé Nast Digital, National Geographic, Zumobi, AdNode, Adweek
  • 2009-2013 Mittnacht, John Citigroup, The Brand Union, TIAA
  • 2009 Myers, Rich Edelman
  • 2013-Present Naik, Kirti OppenheimerFunds, Russell Investments, BNY Mellon Wealth, Futurebank, SMC Blockchain, Neuberger Berman
  • 2005-2019 Pabst, Cindy BusinessWeek, Insider Inc.
  • 2009-2018 Parks, Elizabeth Wall Street Journal, Fortune
  • 2008-2013 Parsons, Joe Economist, Institutional Investor
  • 2016-Present Patella, Paul Pershing, BNY Mellon, Ontra, Digital Asset
  • 2019-2023 Pawling, Julia AIG
  • 2021-Present Pfeiffer, Rob FOX Business
  • 2009-2010 Poe, Chris BlackRock
  • 2006-2009 Quinn-Panzer, Karen New Yorker
  • 2022-Present Raikundalia, Sheevani Bloomberg Media
  • 2005 Rosen, Michael Weatherbug.com
  • 2005-2012 Ross, Noreen Dreyfus, Goldman Sachs
  • 2013-2016 Rothman, Daniel FT
  • 2024-Present Sachs, Patty Publicis
  • 2005-2007 Sanford Chung, Bret Smith Barney, Euro RSCG
  • 2015-Present Scauri, Melissa Carpenter Group, Morgan Stanley
  • 2005-2007 Sibley, Jessica Dow Jones
  • 2005-2017 Sievers, Phil Masius, Seiter Miller, JCPR
  • 2010-2011 Smith, Ted New Yorker, Wired
  • 2017-Present Toth, John Reuters, Unique, The 614 Group
  • 2021-Present Tuffney, Rachel Dianomi, Quantcast
  • 2013-Present Webber, Damon Merrill Lynch, Bank of America
  • 2021-Present Weber, Katie Wall Street Journal | Barron’s Group
  • 2005-2008 Williams, Patrick Economist, Condé Nast Portfolio
  • 2005-Present Windorf, Kevin Harris Nesbitt, BMO Capital Markets, CNBC, IMRE, Living Group, 2112 Communications
  • 2005 Wreaks, Bill Journal of Financial Advertising & Marketing
  • 2014-Present Yates, Greg InvestingChannel, RICG, Institutional Investor, Qraft, Sardonyx
  • 2005-2022 Yearwood, Ahmed Y-Interact, Princeton University

Milestones In The History of The FCS

  • 1967 Our organization is founded as “The Advertising & PR Association of Wall Street” by a small group of industry friends who met regularly at the legendary Financial District bar Harry’s At Hanover Square.
  • 1970 Our name is changed to Financial Communications Society.
  • 1995 The Portfolio Awards competition is launched, and the first awards ceremony held as a dinner at the prestigious Pierre Hotel in NYC. The five original categories, all advertising, were: Magazine, Newspaper, Out-of-Home, Radio, and Television. There were 18 winning brands — 10 of them were banks.
  • 1996 Direct Mail is added as a Portfolio category.
  • 1997 At this year’s Portfolio, the first digital category award, then called “Website Interactive” goes to Merrill Private Client.
  • 1998 CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo and Tyler Mathisen serve as emcees at the Portfolio Awards dinner.
  • 2000 The FCS becomes the title sponsor of Race for Kids, our annual charity fundraiser that will grow from a weekend ski event to an annual fully realized Marketing Summit.

    The FCS launches an annual Charity Golf Tournament that will bring together New York area members and industry colleagues for years to come.
  • 2001 For the first time, live music is introduced at the Portfolio dinner, when the Hampton String Quartet performs during the pre-awards party.
  • 2002 At the Portfolio dinner, the People’s Choice award allows the audience to choose from the three best in show winners for the top prize.
  • 2004 Yahoo Finance sponsors the inaugural Best In Show Interactive Media Award, later renamed Digital Media.
  • 2005 The last Portfolio dinner held at the Grand Hyatt above NYC’s Grand Central Terminal is the last to feature a keynote speaker… and there were two! Ron Insana of CNBC and Stewart Elliott of The New York Times.
  • 2006 The black-tie era of Portfolio begins with a gala at the Manhattan Center, along with a new trophy design (double triangles to emphasize the three points of our mission), senior marketers serving as award presenters, and a true after-party with a rock’n’roll dance band. Collateral is introduced as a new category.

    The annual FCS Financial Marketer of the Year Award is launched, and the winners are honored at late winter lunches until the event switches to a year-end evening gala in 2015.
  • 2007 The Portfolio Gala continues to grow and moves to the famed Hammerstein Ballroom.
  • 2009 The Portfolio Gala moves uptown to Terminal 5 for a bigger dance floor.
  • 2010 Just weeks apart, the FCS hosts its first events outside of New York City, with luncheons in Boston and Chicago, leading to the creation of the first FCS Regional Chapters.

    For the Portfolio Awards competition, Radio is dropped as a category, while ROI is introduced (but last only three years) and PR bursts onto the scene and proves its unending stamina as a category.
  • 2011 The FCS hosts its first-ever event in Washington, D.C.
  • 2013 The FCS stages a breakfast panel discussion in San Francisco, leading the way to the development of FCS West, a chapter responsible for regular events in SF, and with additional events staged in Los Angeles, San Mateo, and Denver.

    A flood of new categories for Portfolio Awards recognizes both tradition (Annual Reports, Event Marketing) and innovation (Social Media) with Digital Media breaking out into subcategories of Websites, Web Video, Display / Rich Media, Apps & Tools, E-Mail, Mobile, and short-lived Tablet.
  • 2015 The governance structure of the FCS is updated with the election of Tim Hart and Tom Jago as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, respectively, and the appointment of Kevin Windorf as CEO.

    The FCS holds its first event in Charlotte, paving the way for a new chapter.

    Branded content is launched as a new category in the Portfolio Awards and immediately becomes one of the most competitive categories, attracting dozens of entries. A new top award, The Judges’ Choice Award, is created and determined by a live consensus of judges, discussing their favorite entries.
  • 2016 FCS stages its first event in Philadelphia. After several events over subsequent years, the foundation is set for the FCS Philly chapter.

    FCS West hosts its first Los Angeles event at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

    The annual FCS Jamie E. DePeau Award is bestowed for the first time, honoring the legacy of the Lincoln Financial CMO and original member of the FCS Marketing Leadership Roundtable who passed away earlier in the year. The Award becomes part of the Financial Marketer of the Year celebration.
  • 2017 FCS West hosts its inaugural event in Denver.

    The Portfolio Gala goes to Broadway with a sold-out performance at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square. Radio is resurrected as the Audio category, redefined for the new world of satellite and streaming.
  • 2018 As an offshoot from FCS Chicago, two events are staged in Milwaukee.

    The Ziegfeld Ballroom becomes the new home for the Portfolio Gala, where we introduce Visual Identity as the latest category to reflect the many disciplines where marketers pursue excellence.
  • 2019 The Best in Show Corporate Social Responsibility Award is created to honor the best work across mediums and categories to tell a brand’s all-important story of corporate citizenship. The FCS Portfolio Awards Hall of Fame is launched with Mastercard’s Priceless campaign and Charles Schwab’s Talk to Chuck campaign as the inaugural honorees.
  • 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic pauses all FCS in-person events across the country – except for the New York area Charity Golf Tournament which continued its 20-year tradition.

    The Portfolio Awards Ceremony and Financial Marketer of the Year Award Ceremony are staged as virtual events.

    The Programming Committee launches the FCS Members Only Virtual Event Series (MOVES) with a weekly roster of CMO half-hour interviews.

    The FCS unveils a formal Corporate Membership program.

    The members-only Mentoring program is introduced to great interest and becomes a new pillar of our Community mission.
  • 2021 Delayed by four months, the FCS Portfolio Gala returns to an in-person event at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in September. The Financial Marketer of the Year Gala returns to the New York Yacht Club in December.
  • 2022 After skipping 2021 for the pandemic, the FCS Race for Kids Marketing Summit returns to Stowe, Vermont, and continues to deliver a magical experience of connecting our community and philanthropic mission while staging an impactful series of hybrid fireside forums.

    In-person events return to FCS Boston and FCS Philadelphia.
  • 2023 In-person events return to FCS Chicago (January) and FCS San Francisco (November).

    At the sold-out FCS Portfolio Gala, Chairman Tim Hart announces a one-year fundraising target of $100,000.

    New membership structure is rolled out: Individuals, Young Members Circle, Members in Transition, Community Partners, Corporate Members.

List of Presidents

  • 2009-2015 Kevin Windorf BMO Capital Markets/CNBC/IMRE/Quindorian Communications
  • 2007-2008 Patrick Williams Conde Nast Portfolio
  • 2005-2006 Karen List The New York Times
  • 2003-2004 Bill Wreaks KDM International/The Journal of Financial Advertising & Marketing
  • 2001-2002 James Sansevero Citigate Albert Frank
  • 1999-2000 Joanne Knowlton Bloomberg L.P.
  • 1997 Ray Zipko Doremus Advertising
  • 1996 Ray Zipko Doremus Advertising
  • 1995 Karen Quinn The Wall Street Journal
  • 1994 Peter J. Callahan Newspapers First
  • 1993 Lawrence J. Levy Chase Manhattan Bank
  • 1992 Barbara Frank International Herald Tribune
  • 1991 Steven C. Schwarzkopf Citicorp
  • 1990 Phillip G. Callahan Newspapers First
  • 1989 Jeffery R. Weisman Weisman & Associates, Inc.
  • 1988 John E. Eckelberry Doremus & Co.
  • 1987 Robert A. Hansen Salomon Brothers, Inc.
  • 1986 Barry Biederman Biederman & Co.
  • 1985 William Almy Sawyer Ferguson Walker
  • 1984 Geoffery E. Meyer The Wall Street Journal
  • 1983 William P. Hartl Ashland Oil, Inc.
  • 1982 Charles J. Schreiber Albert Frank-Guenther Law
  • 1981 William J. Gallagher The New York Times
  • 1980 Susan Kaplan Next Magazine
  • 1979 Curtis R. Troeger Doremus & Co.
  • 1978 Joseph D. Fashano Blyth Eastman Dillon & Co.
  • 1977 Thomas W. Hart New York Law Journal
  • 1976 Betsey Goldsmith Thomson McKinnon Securities, Inc.
  • 1975 Frank Malley Doremus & Co.
  • 1974 Richard L. Fernandez Albert Frank-Guenther Law
  • 1973 Michael Wall Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
  • 1972 David Dennison New York Stock Exchange
  • 1971 Ted Gillen Investment Dealers’ Digest
  • 1970 Paul O’Shea Walston & Co.
  • 1969 Robert W. Fisher Doremus & Co.
  • 1968 Arthur Guastella Wainwright & Ramsey
  • 1967 Andrew J. McDermott The First Boston Company