Edward N. Ney
Encyclopedia
Edward Noonan Ney was the chief executive officer
of advertising agency
Young & Rubicam
from 1970 to 1986, and served as United States Ambassador to Canada from 1989 to 1992.
on May 26, 1925, the son of John J. Ney, a manager for American Standard Brands
. He went to high school at the John Burroughs School
in St. Louis, Missouri
. He then attended Amherst College
. During World War II
, he served in the United States Naval Air Corps
. After the war, he returned to Amherst and received his B.A.
in 1946.
In 1950, Ney married Suzanne Hayes and together the couple would have three children, Nicholas (b. Feb. 12, 1953), Hillary (b. 1954), and Michelle (b. Dec. 9, 1955).
In 1951, Ney joined Young & Rubicam
, the world's largest advertising
communications company, as an account manager
. Ney worked his way up the ranks at Young & Rubicam, eventually becoming the company's president and then, in 1970, its chief executive officer
, a position he held until 1986. He was chairman of Young & Rubicam 1986-89. He was also Vice-Chairman of Paine Webber
1986-89. Ney was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame
in 1988.
Besides his work at Young & Rubicam, Ney was active in the Republican Party
. He became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
in 1974. President of the United States
Gerald Ford
appointed Ney to the board of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in 1975. He was a trustee
of the National Urban League
from 1977 to 1986. He chaired the Visiting Committee on Afro-American Studies
at Harvard University
from 1977 until 1984. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan
appointed Ney to the executive committee of The Grace Commission
, where he served until 1986. He became a trustee of the Museum of Television and Radio in 1982, and of the George Bush Presidential Library
in 1994.
In 1989, President George H. W. Bush
nominated Ney as United States Ambassador to Canada. Ambassador Ney presented his credentials on June 30, 1989 and served in Ottawa
until June 20, 1992.
After his time as ambassador, Ney returned to Young & Rubicam as chairman.
Ney has sat on the Boards of Directors of several corporations, including Barrick Gold
, Power Corporation of Canada
, and Mattel
.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of advertising agency
Advertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
Young & Rubicam
Young & Rubicam
Y&R is a marketing and communications company specializing in advertising, digital and social media, sales promotion, direct marketing and brand identity consulting.-History:...
from 1970 to 1986, and served as United States Ambassador to Canada from 1989 to 1992.
Biography
Edward N. Ney was born in Saint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
on May 26, 1925, the son of John J. Ney, a manager for American Standard Brands
American Standard Brands
American Standard Brands is a closely held manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, sold under the American Standard, Crane, Fiat, Sanymetal, Showerite and Eljer brand names, based in Piscataway Township, New Jersey, United States. It is principally owned by Sun Capital Partners with Bain Capital...
. He went to high school at the John Burroughs School
John Burroughs School
Founded in 1923, John Burroughs School is a private, non-sectarian preparatory school with nearly 600 students in grades 7-12. Its 47.5 acre campus is located in Ladue, Missouri , an affluent suburb of Saint Louis. It is named for U.S...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He then attended Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the United States Naval Air Corps
United States Naval Air Corps
The United States Naval Air Corps was a term denoting the portion of the United States Navy made up of United States Naval Aviators. The term was especially in use before and during World War II....
. After the war, he returned to Amherst and received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1946.
In 1950, Ney married Suzanne Hayes and together the couple would have three children, Nicholas (b. Feb. 12, 1953), Hillary (b. 1954), and Michelle (b. Dec. 9, 1955).
In 1951, Ney joined Young & Rubicam
Young & Rubicam
Y&R is a marketing and communications company specializing in advertising, digital and social media, sales promotion, direct marketing and brand identity consulting.-History:...
, the world's largest advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
communications company, as an account manager
Account manager
An account manager is a person in a business who is responsible for the management of the sales and relationship with particular customers. They are usually allocated particular customer accounts, especially key accounts that provide the most business....
. Ney worked his way up the ranks at Young & Rubicam, eventually becoming the company's president and then, in 1970, its chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, a position he held until 1986. He was chairman of Young & Rubicam 1986-89. He was also Vice-Chairman of Paine Webber
Paine Webber
Paine Webber and Company was an American stock brokerage and asset management firm that was acquired by the Swiss bank UBS AG in 2000. The company was founded in 1880 in Boston, Massachusetts, by William Alfred Paine and Wallace G. Webber. Operating with two employees, they leased premises at 48...
1986-89. Ney was inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame
American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame
The Advertising Hall of Fame is a list of notable advertising leaders in America as chosen by the American Advertising Federation.It was founded in 1948 as a result of a proposal by the New York Ad Club and its president, Andrew Haire, to the Advertising Federation of America, the predecessor...
in 1988.
Besides his work at Young & Rubicam, Ney was active in the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
in 1974. President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
appointed Ney to the board of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in 1975. He was a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the National Urban League
National Urban League
The National Urban League , formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest...
from 1977 to 1986. He chaired the Visiting Committee on Afro-American Studies
African American studies
African American studies is a subset of Black studies or Africana studies. It is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to the study of the history, culture, and politics of African Americans...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
from 1977 until 1984. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
appointed Ney to the executive committee of The Grace Commission
The Grace Commission
The Private Sector Survey on Cost Control , commonly referred to as The Grace Commission, was an investigation requested by United States President Ronald Reagan, in 1982. The focus of it was waste and inefficiency in the US Federal government. Its head, businessman J. Peter Grace, asked the...
, where he served until 1986. He became a trustee of the Museum of Television and Radio in 1982, and of the George Bush Presidential Library
George Bush Presidential Library
The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library of George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States. It was dedicated on Nov. 6, 1997 and opened to the public shortly thereafter...
in 1994.
In 1989, President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
nominated Ney as United States Ambassador to Canada. Ambassador Ney presented his credentials on June 30, 1989 and served in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
until June 20, 1992.
After his time as ambassador, Ney returned to Young & Rubicam as chairman.
Ney has sat on the Boards of Directors of several corporations, including Barrick Gold
Barrick Gold
Barrick Gold Corporation is the largest pure gold mining company in the world, with its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and four regional business units located in Australia, Africa, North America and South America...
, Power Corporation of Canada
Power Corporation of Canada
Power Corporation of Canada is a Canadian company with assets in North America and Europe in a number of industries. These industries include media, pulp and paper, and financial services....
, and Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
.