2005 Hall of Famers Inducted

by Suzanne Poor

Five New Jersey communication giants rose a notch higher in peer prestige when they were inducted into the New Jersey Advertising Hall of Fame March 24. Karl Dentino of Dentino Marketing, Edward J. Efchak of the North Jersey Media Group, Linda Rosanio of The Star Group, Debra Taeschler of The Gráfica Group and the late Patricia Tesman of Gianettino & Meredith joined 52 other outstanding advertising, marketing and public relations leaders. John B. Gambling, Leonard Dreyfuss, George H. Gallup, Ron Gianettino and William N. Scheer are among past recipients.

Following brief but lovingly caustic remarks by the AdClub’s perennial Hall of Fame roaster, the inductees expressed their feelings at being so honored.

While Karl Dentino gave most of the credit for his company’s direct-marketing success to his employees, he saved the sweetest acknowledgement for his wife, whom he met at age 17 and who ultimately became his partner for life. “She typed my resumes, picked out my suits, combed my hair, waited up after long days. Her own needs never interfered as sacrifice was her MOS,” he said. “Not only did she dedicate her life to our children, she allowed me to lead.” But in the end Karl Dentino turned to his wife and thanked her, admitting graciously that nothing would have happened without her.

“It is an honor, said Ed Efchak. “I never thought I’d be recognized for things I do in research and development.” In looking over the list of past inductees, he stopped at George Gallup’s name.

“I knew George Gallup,” he said. “It is an honor to be paired with someone I had a lot of respect for in R&D. George was not a mentor but steered me on the right path to do quality research. The Hall of Fame itself,” he added, “reflects on the advertising community because it saw another side of the communications industry.

I am pleased to represent the researchers.” Linda Rosanio, representing the southern part of New Jersey, began with a description of The Star Group’s venue. “Where the shore begins at Long Beach Island and ends at Cape May; where we eat hoagies instead of subs; root for the Eagles instead of the Giants . . . . Know what a WAWA is and how to find at least a dozen of them, and where we don’t have enough turnpike exits to even bother counting them.” She then went on to describe the phenomenal growth of her agency, attributing it to belief in people and what they can do. And when you keep doing that, she concluded, pretty soon they start believing they can do anything. She thanked her husband, and her children. “It’s a miracle,” she said, “that they have grown to appreciate the time constrains placed on all of us in order for their parents to achieve so much.” Most of all, she praised her mother, saying her brothers and sisters have continued a journey she began, that she gave her children the energy and confidence to achieve their dreams. And finally, Linda Rosanio urged the audience to mentor, encourage and inspire the people in their lives because “all of us here have the power to make a difference in people’s lives everyday.”

“I share this honor with my creative partner, John Puglionisi, my family, and, of course, all the employees at Gráfica,” said Debra Taeschler. “The work we do for our clients requires talent and teamwork, and I’m just fortunate to have found great people at Gráfica, including Website design and database marketing as well as public relations.”

For Patricia Tesman’s response to her being inducted into the New Jersey Advertising Hall of Fame, see AdTalk’s opening page, acknowledgements of her dedication, skills and talents are scattered throughout this publication.

return to May 2005 Adtalk