How I Did It: Howard Rubenstein

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Then a few dramatic things happened. I met a man named Lew Rudin, and a bunch of us, mainly real estate people like Lew, formed something which eventually became the Association for a Better New York. This group helped us pull through the New York City financial crisis of the '70s. That was a big turning point for me because from that point on, the real estate industry started to hire us. To this day, we probably have the largest real estate PR firm in the country.

Getting introduced to Rupert Murdoch was the next important thing in my career. We've become very, very good friends. He's probably the person I admire the most in my 50 years in business. The only time I ever got an emotional reaction from him in a business context is when he had to sell the New York Post. He shed a tear.

Another big break for me was when George Steinbrenner hired me to represent him and the Yankees. That's been terrific too. In many, many instances, George will follow my advice. Sometimes he doesn't. But it doesn't affect my ego.

Gradually, different practice areas opened up--the real estate grouping, the political grouping, hospitals and universities, dozens of corporations. I found I didn't want to pigeonhole myself. So, I found people who could specialize. We built a wonderful business.

My first ground rule is always to tell the truth. A client will call and say, "This terrible thing happened to me. What should I say?" I say, "Wait a minute. First ask: What was the right thing to do? Then do it." Some of the people involved in the current corporate scandals thought they could talk their way out of a corner. They should have instead consulted their lawyer, talked to a PR person who would only deal in accurate statements, or say nothing at all.

I think that in 10 or 15 years PR will command more respect. You'll find a far greater sense of ethics. When I was first around, they wouldn't let the PR person into the room until they made the decision. In 10 years the PR person will be an integral part of the decision-making process and on the executive committees of most major corporations. You see it today--wars are being run on PR, governments, businesses, hey, almost everything.

I'm proud to call myself a PR person. I came from Brooklyn. I know what's factual. That's why I say I won't spin my own story. I am what I am.

I have a bunch of famous clients and none has ever second-guessed me. Because if you're right most of the time--and PR is such an inexact art, you can't be right all of the time....But if you're not right most of the time, goodbye.

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