Bill Koenigsberg

Bill Koenigsberg
Born (1955-12-24) December 24, 1955
Nationality American
Occupation Entrepreneur, media executive, CEO of Horizon Media and Chairman of 4A’s
Years active 1989- present
Known for Horizon Media, 4A’s
Spouse(s) Jessica Koenigsberg
Children 3
Website Official website

Bill Koenigsberg (born December 24, 1955) is an American entrepreneur, media executive, and philanthropist. He founded Horizon Media, the largest independent media agency in the world, and serves as its current President. He also serves as Chairman of 4A’s.

Early Life

Bill Koenigsberg was born December 24, 1955 in New York City. He grew up in Long Beach, Long Island. He started playing tennis at a young age. At age 14, he managed private tennis courts and gave lessons. In his first foray into advertising, he allowed the owner of a local restaurant advertise on the courts in exchange for free lunches.[1][2]

Koenigsberg attended the University of Miami. After graduating in 1977, Koenigsberg obtained a job with Ed Libov Associates (ELA), a media buying service in New York. He remained at ELA for six years, where he managed a team of 90 people.[2]

In 1984, he moved to Media General to open up a New York office for the company. In 1989, the media division he was managing was put on sale. He convinced Media General to loan him the $11 million needed to buy the division himself, which he subsequently named Horizon Media.[2][3]

Career

Horizon Media

Horizon Media is a privately-owned media services company with more than 1000 employees.[4][5][6][3] It is the largest independent media agency in the world.[6] The agency is headquartered in New York City, with a full-service West Coast office in Los Angeles. Horizon Media's client list includes brands such as GEICO (known for the gecko ad campaign), Burger King, LG Electronics USA, Capital One, Corona, Lindt and A+E Networks, among others.[7] It was listed eighth on Crain's list of New York's largest privately held companies in 2013.[8][9]

Other endeavors

In 2014, Bill Koenigsberg was the first media executive to be named board chair of the 4A's.[10] Koenigsberg is also Chairman of the Board for Local Planet, Horizon's sister global media services company that provides international coverage.[11]

In 2015, Koenigsberg announced the launch of a stand-alone agency, Canvas Worldwide, in partnership with INNOCEAN Worldwide.[4]

Philanthropy

Bill Koenigsberg supports several causes, such as the National Kidney Foundation. He serves on the board of City Harvest and led Horizon in making a $250,000 donation to the organization as part of the agency's 20th anniversary celebration. In 2012, he was honored by the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters for his "leadership" around 4A's non-discrimination policy, given his position as chairman of the Media Policy Board at the organization.[12][13]

In 2011, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Partnership at Drugfree.org, and as chairman of the Media Exposure Committee.[14] That same year, after a 60 Minutes story titled Hard Time Generation, which featured families living in cars in central Florida, Koenigsberg provided one family (the Metzgers) with a three-bedroom home. In 2011, Horizon Media donated to over 60 different charities, with total contributions approaching $1 million dollars.[15]

Awards

Bill Koenigsberg has been honored with numerous awards. In 2014, he was inducted to the 24th Annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.[16] He was named in Variety's "Gotham 60: Influential New Yorkers in Entertainment and Media" list in 2015.[17]

He was named Ad Age Executive of the Year in 2011, and received its Media Maven Award twice, in 2001 and 2010, being the only person to do so twice.[7][18] He is also trustee of the University of Miami and Columbus Media International.[2][19]

Personal Life

Koenigsberg lives with his wife, Jessica, and their young daughter in New York City. He has two older sons who also live in Manhattan, New York.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Rattiner, Dan. "Who's Here? Bill Koenigsberg, Media Mogul". Dan's Papers. Dan's Papers. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Koenigsberg, Bill. "Collaborate and Compete". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 Plunkett Research Ltd; Jack W. Plunkett (1 April 2008). Plunkett's Advertising & Branding Industry Almanac 2008: Advertising & Branding Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends & Leading Companies. Plunkett Research, Ltd. pp. 310–. ISBN 978-1-59392-109-5.
  4. 1 2 Bruell, Alexandra. "Horizon Launches New Media Agency With Innocean, Takes Hyundai Account". Ad Age. Ad Age. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  5. ↑ Rodgers, Zach. "Horizon Media, Largest US Indie Agency, Hits Reset Button On Programmatic". adexchanger. adexchanger. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  6. 1 2 Saiidi, Uptin. "Office Envy: Inside Horizon Media's NYC office". CNBC. CNBC. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  7. 1 2 Bush, Michael. "Horizon Media Is Ad Age's Media Agency of the Year". Ad Age. Ad Age. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Flamm, Matthew. "Media agency executive buys in, stays in". Crain's New York. Crain's New York. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  9. ↑ Consoli, John. "MBPT Spotlight: 10 Questions for Horizon Media CEO Bill Koenigsberg". Broadcasting & Cable. Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  10. ↑ O'Leary, Noreen. "Horizon Media's Koenigsberg Is New 4A's Chair First media agency exec in role". AdWeek. AdWeek. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Oakes, Omar. "Independent media agencies form new global network". Campaign. Campaign. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "The Givers From the top ranks of AOL and A+E Networks, to Havas and Time Inc., a portfolio of people doing good". Ad Week. Ad Week. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  13. ↑ McDowell, Robert M. "Commissioner McDowell Remarks Before NABOB". Federal Communications Commission. FCC. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  14. ↑ Schultz, EJ. "Whatever Happened to the Ad War on Drugs?". Ad Age. Ad Age. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  15. ↑ Myers, Jack. "Honoring Bill Koenigsberg: Mentor and Philanthropist". Media Village. Media Village. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "24th Annual B&C Hall of Fame". Broadcasting & Cable. Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "The Gotham 60: Influential New Yorkers in Entertainment and Media". Variety. Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  18. ↑ Bush, Michael. "Media Mavens: Bill Koenigsberg, Horizon Media". Ad Age. Ad Age. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Noted Entrepreneurs Named Alumni Trustees". University of Miami Magazine Vol. 17 N. 3 2011. University of Miami. Retrieved 29 July 2016.


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