 Terrie Williams |
Terrie Williams, who opened her eponymous PR firm in 1988, is closing the New York shop this month.
The 64-year-old is retiring to focus on personal wellness, family and the next chapter of her life, according to her announcement of the shutdown.
With Eddie Murphy and Miles Davis as its first clients, Terrie Williams Agency went on to handle some of the biggest names in entertainment, sports, business and politics—including Prince, Janet Jackson, Russell Simmons, Sean “P Diddy” Combs, Johnnie Cochran, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Sally Jessy Raphael.
The firm also worked with such corporate clients as Time Warner, HBO, AT&T, NBA and Essence Communications Partners.
Williams has written four books, the most recent of which, Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting, detailed the story of depression among African-Americans.
She has earned a host of awards including PRSA New York Chapter's Phillip Dorf Mentoring Award. In 1996, Williams was the first person of color honored with the Vernon C. Schranz Distinguished Lectureship in Public Relations at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
In stepping down, Williams thanked "countless individuals who have inspired me, guided me, and helped me throughout my career."
DJE Holdings, parent of Edelman and Zeno, launches RUTH as an independent shop named after Ruth Edelman, mental health advocate, wife and longtime business partner of Dan Edelman.
New York City PR firms make up the largest slice of O'Dwyer's 147 firm overall ranking with 33 of 40 in the New York/New Jersey area either calling Manhattan their home or having a presence there.
Subject Matter+Kivvit, which joined forces in May, has rebranded as Avoq, an integrated shop with more than 200 professionals in Washington, New York, Asbury Park (NJ), Miami and Chicago.
While PR pros stationed at in-house comms. teams and those working for agencies share many of the same objectives, they also have markedly different top priorities, according to a recent report.
Edelman is cutting 240 employees or about four percent of its workforce to cope with the cooling down of the PR sector, according to a memo from CEO Richard Edelman.
Have a comment? Send it to 
No comments have been submitted for this story yet.