REBNY honors a public relations legend

The fact that REBNY chose this year to honor Howard Rubenstein among the six most influential leaders is a tribute both to Rubenstein's leadership in New York public affairs and real estate and to his role in pioneering and shaping the field of public relations as we know it today. Rubenstein started in our business decades ago, before Facebook, Twitter, cable TV and computers became common, when a publicist had to live by the telephone, typewriter and creative inspiration to help a developer, owner or other real estate professional break through the clutter and make the evening news or the next day's edition of the Daily News. Rubenstein has represented icons of New York real estate and public life from Harry Helmsley and Donald Trump to Rupert Murdoch and George Steinbrenner and delivered counsel and ideas that have helped chart New York's future. But what should not go unnoticed is the huge influence Rubenstein has had on real estate public relations through his tutelage of many practitioners who head their own firms or serve in senior positions in agencies and organizations. Working for Rubenstein is an unforgettable experience for any aspiring PR practitioner and I am proud to say I was among them. Congratulations Howard. Your REBNY award is in a small way our award. We are grateful for what you taught us and for elevating real estate PR to a status equal to or better than how PR is practiced for any other industry anywhere in the world. Harry Zlokower is the president of Zlokower Co., New York, N.Y.