Joseph Kessler is a partner of SS+K (Shepardson Stern + Kaminsky), a New York-based strategic marketing and communications agency that is partially owned by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Education:
Kessler graduated from Boston University College of Communication with a BS in Journalism and Political Science.
Background:
Based in Los Angeles, Kessler has responsibility for developing and overseeing client service, operations and business development across the west and providing corporate issues, strategic public relations and marketing counsel to a wide range of clientele.
Prior to joining SS+K in 2004, he held a series of senior management positions Weber Shandwick, the world’s largest public relations and marketing communications agency and a subsidiary of Interpublic Group (IPG). These positions included President of Weber Shandwick California and President of the firm’s Global Technology Practice. Earlier, at BSMG Worldwide, he was President of the US Western Region and Senior Managing Director in BSMG's Corporate Practice in New York. Also, he served on the firm's Operations, North American Executive, and Corporate Practice Steering Committees. BSMG was acquired by Interpublic Group (IPG) during Kessler's tenure there.
In 1988, Kessler co-founded the successful boutique communications agency River Communications of Irvington, NY, which specializes in professional and financial services communications and marketing. Earlier, he became the youngest partner in the history of Rubenstein Wolfson & Company, a New York public relations agency that was later acquired by Shandwick PLC, where he focused on crisis communications, corporate issues and reputation management. He served as a legislative aide to U.S. Representative Edward J. Markey (MA). He began his career as a Capitol Hill journalist and later, as Press Secretary for US Representative Ted S. Weiss (NY) in Washington, D.C.
