AGENCY BOOSTS BING'S LEGACY Tuesday, December 18, 2007 First published in the Syracuse Post-Standard Small Business Q&A KOENIG ADVERTISING Public Relations recently signed Bing Crosby enterprises as a client. Looking over Crosby materials are Judy Schmid (left), and Stew Koenig, company president. Editorial assistant Brenda Duncan recently interviewed Judy Schmid of Koenig Advertising Public Relations. Her newest client is Bing Crosby Enterprises. Name: Judy Schmid. Where do you live? In the University area. Do you have a family? Yes, Stew is my spouse and we have a daughter, Maura Koenig; she's a freshman at SUNY Oswego. We also have two cats, Rosemary Clooney and Ella Fitzgerald. In a few words, describe what the business is: Our business name says it all -- advertising and public relations, which runs the gamut from collateral materials, which is anything printed. We do Web sites, we do billboards, we do radio and TV. We also do event planning and public relations. Number of employees: We're what we call a virtual corporation. We work with a team of freelancers. How long has the business existed? I think he started October of '88. Can you name some of your local clients? Consumer Credit Counseling Service of CNY, Galson Laboratories, Onondaga County Economic Development, Rudy Schmid Body and Frame Shop and the MOST, among many others. Do you also have clients outside of Central New York? Yes, that's big news. I have been hired as a publicist for Bing Crosby Enterprises and yes, it's that Bing Crosby. How did it come about? About five years ago now, I met Kathryn Crosby, Bing's widow, at an academic conference about Bing Crosby. She had just published a new book about her last years with Bing. She had talked about doing bookstore events and I gave her my business card and said, "If you want to do a tour in Upstate New York, call me." She called me and I organized a book tour to help her promote her book. It was quite successful. At the same time, I also coordinated a 100th birthday party honoring Bing, which took place in 2003. Since then, I've become close with Kathryn and I've worked with her on a number of things. She introduced me to her daughter Mary Crosby and her son-in-law Mark Brodka, who are now kind of the family members in charge of Bing Crosby's legacy. Our most recent work is publicizing BingCrosby.com as the official Web site and acting as a liaison with the media, fans and academics. . . . Bing died 30 years ago and he wanted his family to keep his legacy quiet. He was not a boastful man, but that's been very tough for the fans to handle. . . .It's taken 30 years for the family to come around and realize that Bing's legacy is pretty unique. What else have you done for the Crosby family? Sirius Satellite Radio is running Crosby radio programs on one of their stations, all Christmas-themed from the '30s to the '60s. That was something I was able to do for the Crosbys, which has elevated curiosity about Bing. There is going to be a five-day Bing-only station on Sirius. XM Satellite Radio is going to start rotating Crosby radio shows. So I'm working with media just to help publicize Bing and his talents. Have you always been a Bing fan? Yeah, since I was a kid. I even saw him in concert in 1976 in New York City. It was wonderful. I was 20 and the concert spoke to me. I don't know what it is, but my grandmother said, "Listen to this guy," and that was it for me.

Friday, May 07, 2010 Company president Stewart Koenig will be teaching for KEUKA College's Accelerated Studies for Adults Program (ASAP)... Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Koenig Advertising Public Relations will create and implement advertising and public relations campaigns for P.E.A.C.E., Inc.’s federally-funded Healthy Marriage Demonstration Grant and Connect2Work projects. ... Monday, September 21, 2009 Lindsey Steinseifer, a Syracuse University public relations major, is interning at Koenig Advertising Public Relations.... Friday, September 04, 2009 Koenig AdPR created a successful ad campaign for Shakespeare-in-the-Park contributing to a record turnout.... Monday, February 16, 2009 Koenig Advertising Public Relations coordinated Holiday and Weekly Bing Crosby Programming on Sirius XM... Friday, October 24, 2008 Koenig Advertising Public Relations turned 20 in October 2008... Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Koenig Advertising Public Relations has redeveloped its website.... Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Onondaga County Economic Development wins three awards for materials developed and designed by Koenig Advertising Public Relations.... Friday, May 09, 2008 Koenig Advertising Public Relations hired by Alexandria, VA compliance consultant.... Friday, December 14, 2007 Koenig plan/creates ad campaign to show why CNY is place to move business in need of superior water supply....