The KCSA Way: A Communications Firm Built on Integrity and Independence
Fifty years ago from this past October, KCSA was formed. The founding partners of the agency strongly believed that integrity and independence were paramount to providing clients with untainted counsel that was free from the pressures of large corporate owners. Today, that belief remains intact.
I joined KCSA as an entry level employee in 1993. As a young man, I was lucky to have daily access to the agency’s partners. I was given the opportunity to learn firsthand from leadership how to write a press release for maximum impact; how to evaluate an income statement and a balance sheet; and how to communicate hidden value in simple terms to our clients’ many stakeholders. I quickly grew as a professional but was always quietly observing the leaders of the firm, storing away heaps of knowledge and learning new strategies and tactics that informed my perspective on agency, life, and practices.
In my early days at KCSA, I was really rough around the edges (many will say I still am) but I had dogged determination to learn and succeed (I can confidently say I still do). It took a great deal of personal refinement and support from KCSA’s partners to mold me into the kind of professional that would one day become a leader of the firm. With leadership comes great responsibility — and reflection.
As we celebrate KCSA’s 50th year anniversary as one of New York’s leading, independent communications firms, I lean heavily on the legacy of our founders, who started this organization with a single client, operating from a tiny office in midtown Manhattan, so many years ago. They were committed to a partner-owned and managed agency that was fully committed to its clients and its people. That commitment carries on and embodies KCSA; and I am proud to say that we are stronger today than ever before.
I feel privileged and honored to lead this agency with my partners, Jeffrey Goldberger and Lewis Goldberg, two of the most dedicated and seasoned professionals in our industry. Each of us is committed in our own subtle style to what we call “The KCSA Way.” At any given time, you can walk the hallways of our NYC headquarters and observe one of us working in a group with members of our team or counseling a new college grad on how to efficiently read The Wall Street Journal. While it would be impossible for any of us to define it specifically, “The KCSA Way” is very much alive in each of us and it is our mission to hand down our experience, expertise and knowledge to the many bright and talented young professionals that seek a fulfilling career in communicatins with KCSA.
Today, we are almost 60 professionals strong. While the business of communications has evolved dramatically since 1969, and continues to change in dramatic ways, there remains one constant: the understanding that KCSA was built on a strong foundation with deep pillars of integrity and independence serving as our guideposts as we venture into our next half century.
This blog post is dedicated to KCSA’s founding partners, Mal Kanaan, Herb Corbin, Les Schupak and Les Aranow. We are proud to carry on your legacy!