NEW YORK: Jay Porter, CEO of Edelman agency Revere, died on Tuesday after a battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 48.
A Yale University graduate, Porter's career at Edelman began in 2005 as VP of consumer brands, leading the agency's Pacific Northwest region.
He spent the next 12 years working his way up the ranks, heading launches for Microsoft and serving two years as global client leader for Starbucks.
Porter took over as president of Edelman Chicago in 2014, where he spent four years, telling the stories of brands and tech innovation. In 2018, Porter was named CEO of Revere, a separate agency within Daniel J. Edelman Holdings, where he led the technology-focused firm with cofounder Jamey Boike.
In each of his leadership positions, Porter was an example for everyone around him, according to Matt Harrington, Edelman global president and COO.
"He will be remembered most for being a wise counselor to clients and colleagues, a welcoming force for those navigating their careers and lives and most especially for being a loyal friend to many," Harrington said in a memo to Edelman staff.
Porter's enduring friendship is a common thread among his colleagues who are remembering him this week.
"He was the best of Edelman, an irrepressible optimist, a charismatic leader, a passionate mentor of young talent, and a superb client counselor," Edelman president and CEO Richard Edelman wrote in a blog posted on Thursday. "I loved Jay Porter as a professional, as a creative genius, as a ball of energy and a human being above all."
"The industry of PR, marketing and comms lost one of the most integrated, brilliant minds," Julie Biber, Edelman global director of recruitment, posted on Facebook. "Jay gave nothing but the very best of him right up until the last few weeks of his life."
Corey duBrowa, VP of global communications and public affairs at Google and Alphabet, called Porter one of his "all time favorite humans."
"Just a special guy and counselor, over the course of several jobs (for me) and companies," duBrowa said. "A huge loss for our industry but an even bigger loss for humanity I think."
Porter is survived by his parents, two sisters, and devoted husband David Smith.
Information about services are still to come.
