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Al Dudreck
Year of induction: 2001
Bio:
Al Dudreck is a man whose love for the business of advertising has been contagious. Everyone who has come in contact with him over the past 50 years or more has caught it in some form or another.
When the WS Hill Agency hired an office boy to assist the production manager in 1950, they could not have guessed they were giving birth to one of the best ambassadors ever for the advertising profession.
Al has been involved in just about every facet of the advertising business on both the client and agency side. He worked as a senior account executive in two Pennsylvania ad agencies, and also as advertising manager and sales promotion manager for two corporations. In 1968 he became president and owner of McHenry Advertising, before going on to become a founding partner in DD F & M. In 1999 he helped coordinate organizational structuring for the new HMS Hallmark Agency (now ten/united) that was the result of as many as six agency mergers.
Awarded many accounts during his many years in the business, one Al Dudreck attribute sets him apart from his peers. It is his ability to make many long-term relationships with clients. Shop'n Save in1964 - still at the agency. Seven Springs in 1964 -stayed until Al retired from the agency. Kings in1983 - still at the agency.
When you listen to Al's peers, partners, clients, employees, and even his competitors describe Al the man, this is what you would hear:
"Unpretentious."
"Sincere."
"Al is full of integrity; when he makes a commitment to you, there is no question that commitment will be fulfilled."
"The word partnership really means something with Al, instead of being the usual gibberish. He feels accountable for the success of every client he serves. And this is all accomplished while having fun."
"Al is a guy who is all about relationships and relationships are people. He has extraordinary people strengths."
"He has always loved his craft and is willing to share his love with the people around him. He's a gentleman's gentleman. That's Al Dudreck."
"He always had an open door policy. He wouldn't ask you to do anything he wouldn't do himself."
"He always made you feel important."
"He expected you to respect the profession like he does. If you were late for a meeting¾you were locked out."
He had a phrase that just about sums up Al himself... "To do a common thing, uncommonly well....brings success."
And if after a career that has spanned more years than most of the people reading this book can remember, he is still doing what he has always done best - bringing people together to make the world of advertising a more exciting place to work. He is now executive director/controller of MAGNET Global Network, handling administration, planning and expansion activities for 40 member agencies in the United States, South America, Europe and South Africa.
Al and his wife Joan have been married for 48 years. Interestingly both of their children followed Al into the business. Son, Tom is executive VP at Leo Burnett in Chicago. His daughter Cheri Gmiter having worked at DDF& M and HMS Hallmark is now Sales Manager for KDKA Radio. She is also a present board member and past president of the Pittsburgh Advertising Federation.
Talking of her father, Cheri said it best for every one: "If you ever watched 'White Christmas' with Bing Crosby, there is a song that sums up how people feel about my father. It is a scene in the first part of movie when the General is being taken away from his post and Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye sing this song to the troops....
'We'll follow the old man, wherever he wants go, whatever he wants to do...because we love him, we love him.'"
Thanks, Al, for letting us follow you.
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