Howard M. Blankman, of Port Washington, NY, born June 23, 1925 in Lancaster, PA, passed peacefully at his home on March 17, 2017 at age 91.
Mr. Blankman, had a multifaceted career in business, government, television and the theater – a career he often joked made him “sort of a poor man’s renaissance man.”
Mr. Blankman was chairman and chief executive officer of The Blankman Group, LLC (TBG), a leading Long Island-based public relations and marketing communications agency he founded in 1968, which he sold in 2004. Over the decades, the agency had numerous major clients including: Cablevision, Breslin Realty, King Kullen, Long Island Rail Road, LI Power Authority, Master Card International, St. Francis Hospital, The DeMatteis Organization, The Greentree Foundation, Little Village, Canon, National Center for Disability Services, Medical Society of the State of New York, U. S. Trust Company, and Southland Corporation (7/11 stores) to name just a few.
An Accredited Member of the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA), Mr. Blankman was elected to the PRSA’s prestigious College of Fellows when fewer than 300 public relations professionals in the US were members of the College. To better serve the ever-growing public relations community on Long Island, in 1990, he was the driving force behind founding the Public Relations Professionals of Long Island, and was the recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, and was made a lifetime member in 2009.
Mr. Blankman had an active career in public service as Director of Public Affairs for the New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Transportation and as press secretary to its chair the late NY State Senator John D. Caemmerer who also chaired the State Senate Committee on Transportation.
An accomplished composer and musician, Mr. Blankman was a member of the Dramatists Guild, the American Society of Authors Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Mr. Blankman was a writer and associate producer of WABC-TV’s Who Do You Trust starring Johnny Carson where he met Ed McMahon. He remained friends with Mr. Carson until his passing in 2005 and with Mr. McMahon until his passing in 2009.
For his business activities, Mr. Blankman was recognized by Long Island Business News in 1995 as one of Long Island’s “Top 100 Influentials” and was presented with its Long Island Distinguished Leadership Award. He also received the Golden Rule Award from the Little Village, a school for developmentally disabled children. And he was named “Man of the Year” by the National Kidney Foundation of New York/New Jersey.
Mr. Blankman is survived by his wife of 50 years, the former Donna Farnsworth Smith of Schenectady, and his children: Deborah, Michael, Diana, Matthew and Sarah and her fiancé, David Trzaska; and three loving grandchildren Hannah, Sam and Alexandra.
A memorial service is being planned. Those desiring to express condolences may consider donating to the Community Chest of Port Washington, or a charity of personal choice, in Mr. Blankman’s name.
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For Further Information Contact:
Bert Cunningham
Cell# 516-680-3899
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