April 30, 2026<\/p>\n
St. John\u2019s University celebrated an advertising and marketing pioneer on April 23, hoping that contributions made over his 40-year career will inspire the next generation of industry leaders.<\/p>\n
Bob Greenberg, Founder and former Chairman of\u00a0R\/GA<\/a>, has shaped some of the world\u2019s most recognizable brands, including IBM<\/a>, the National Basketball Association<\/a>, Nike<\/a>, Samsung<\/a>, and other Fortune 500 companies. The 2016 Marketing Hall of Fame<\/a> inductee was the guest of honor at the fourth annual Ad Legends Series, hosted by The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies<\/a> (CCPS) at the University\u2019s\u00a0Queens<\/a>, NY, campus.<\/p>\n Interviewed before students, administrators, and faculty<\/a> from CCPS\u2019 Division of Mass Communication<\/a> by Rick Boyko, former Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy North America, Mr. Greenberg recalled his career highlights, including the firm\u2019s historical partnerships with American Express<\/a>, Google<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Zoom<\/a>, and, most recently, the artificial intelligence (AI) design studio Addition<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mr. Greenberg discussed the evolution of advertising and associated industries with an audience of about 100. Essential to the growth of R\/GA, he said, was the company\u2019s willingness to take chances\u2014on projects, technologies, and in the purchase of small, but emerging companies.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen things would come into view that could change the business, I always viewed the metaphor as holding my nose and jumping off a cliff,\u201d Mr. Greenberg said. \u201cI would always do that, and it worked most of the time.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Made possible through the sponsorship of Nancy Deckinger, Executive Director of the Dr. E. Lawrence Deckinger Family Foundation<\/a>, the Ad Legends series honors visionaries whose creativity and leadership continue to shape the industry today.\u00a0Previous honorees include Ralph Ammirati and Martin Puris<\/a>, founders of Ammirati & Puris; Jerry Della Femina<\/a>, founder of Della Femina Travisano & Partners; and Tiffany Rolfe<\/a>, Chair and Global Chief Creative Officer at R\/GA.<\/p>\n Welcomed by Luca Iandoli, Dean, CCPS, and Professor, Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science<\/a>; and Gina\u00a0Grillo\u00a0\u201986C<\/a>, Chief Executive Officer of The Advertising Club<\/a> and Chair of the CCPS Dean\u2019s Board of Advisors<\/a>, as an industry visionary, Mr. Greenberg engaged in an hourlong back-and-forth with students, after which two students received special awards for achievements in advertising and public relations.<\/p>\n Senior Sharmayne Crockett received the Excellence in Advertising award, while senior Giovanna Ventimiglia received the Public Relations Award of Distinction. Ms. Deckinger presented both awards, each with a $2,500 prize.<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea of the Ad Legends series is simple\u2014learn from the masters, such as Bob,\u201d Dean Iandoli said. \u201cWe want our students to have the opportunity to hear directly from them.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n Undergraduate and graduate students came out to hear Mr. Greenberg, who in 2006, received a Clio Lifetime Achievement Award<\/a>, one of the industry\u2019s highest honors, for his continued creative excellence and innovation in communication and design.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a rare opportunity to network with an industry icon,\u201d said senior Caroline Meck, who will graduate May 17 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in advertising communications and public relations<\/a>. \u201cIt is wonderful to communicate with those in my field; to learn what they do and how they do it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou always want to acquire as much knowledge about the field as possible,\u201d added Eilis Tesfai, a junior who is also studying advertising and public relations. \u201cI am specifically on a creative track, and listening to Mr. Greenberg\u2019s story is compelling.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr. Greenberg founded\u00a0R\/GA with his brother Richard in 1977. Under his leadership, the company evolved from a computer-assisted film-making studio that created title sequences<\/a> for films including Alien<\/a> (1979); Ghostbusters<\/a> (1984);and\u00a0Superman<\/a> (1978) into a digital studio, an interactive ad agency, and eventually a global consultancy.<\/p>\n