NEW YORK – August 27, 2025 — Kenneth D. Makovsky, Chairman and CEO of Makovsky + Company, will receive the Page Distinguished Service Award during the Page Annual Conference on September 28. This honor is bestowed upon individuals who have made significant contributions to the profession through selfless service, leadership, and a commitment to advancing the role of corporate communication in business and society.
Makovsky’s decades-long career has left a lasting impact on the communications profession. He was a co-founder of IPREX in 1983, a global communications platform that today represents more than 100 agencies across 30 countries, and he helped lead its expansion into one of the largest independent PR networks worldwide. At his own firm, he pioneered the Quality Commitment Program, a client- and employee-listening system that set new standards for agency excellence and was widely recognized across the industry.
As a longtime Page member, Makovsky also contributed to the profession through leadership roles with the Institute for Public Relations (IPR), serving as Co-Chair of its Board of Trustees and guiding its research and education agenda. He sponsored initiatives such as IPR’s “Best PR Masters Thesis Award” and the PRSA-NY “Makovsky Mentor Award,” underscoring his commitment to mentorship and developing the next generation of professionals. Beyond his agency and association leadership, he has contributed to academia through service on the National Council for Washington University in St. Louis’s School of Arts and Sciences, establishing a scholarship fund in his mother’s name to support students.
Makovsky and his firm have been recognized and awarded across several prominent organizations. Among them he was named “PR All-Star,” “PR Professional of the Year,” “PR Executive of the Year” and “PR Blogger of the Year,” the “SABRE Individual Achievement Award,” and the PRSA-NY’s prestigious “John Hill Award for Outstanding Achievement.” Ken was also named “Communications Executive of the Year” by the American Business Awards. Makovsky has been awarded small, mid-sized and overall agency of the year, “Best Agency to Work For” and “Best Employee Program.” Makovsky's client campaigns won 200 awards over the years.
“Ken has consistently exemplified the Page Principles in both his personal and professional life. From building one of the world’s leading independent PR networks to guiding IPR’s growth, he has advanced the influence and professionalism of our field,” said Frank Ovaitt, CEO Emeritus of the Institute for Public Relations, who nominated Makovsky. He has also opened doors for many young professionals and demonstrated a deep commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.”
He authored the Forbes column My Three Cents for five years, offering a communications perspective on a wide range of business topics. He was named one of the “Top Ten CEO Bloggers in the U.S.” by Chief Executive Magazine, and his agency’s white papers, Strategies, have been widely cited across the industries the firm serves." Makovsky’s legacy is as much about people as it is about institutions. Known for his integrity, calm leadership, and generosity with his time, he has mentored countless professionals and students, opened doors for underrepresented talent, and led by example in living the Page Principles. Colleagues describe him as a builder, an innovator, and a steady hand whose influence extends far beyond his own agency—strengthening the profession itself and inspiring generations of communicators to follow.
“Ken has dedicated his career to elevating the communications profession,” said Sandra Macleod, group CEO at Echo Research and co-chair of the Page Honors Committee. “His advocacy for ethical practices, his commitment to mentorship and to measurement, and his leadership in building lasting institutions like IPREX and IPR have strengthened the role of corporate communications in business and society. He is richly deserving of this year’s Distinguished Service Award."
Beyond his contributions to communications, Ken has been deeply engaged in civic leadership. He served as diplomatic chairman of the New York Chapter of the American Jewish Committee, where he built relationships with 30 countries, and was a member of its national board for 22 years. The organization promotes human rights and justice worldwide, and under Ken’s leadership broadened its outreach to new communities around the globe.
Page is honored to recognize Ken Makovsky with the Distinguished Service Award for his transformative leadership and unwavering dedication to advancing the corporate communication profession. Recent recipients include Bill Heyman, Don Stacks, Shelley Spector, Bob Feldman, and Sandra Macleod.
For more information or to register (members and qualified guests only) for the Page Annual Conference, please see here.
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Page is the premier global professional association for senior strategic communication leaders. The organization brings together the world’s best communicators to become stronger leaders by learning together, helping each other, imagining a better future for corporate communication and bringing that future to life.
This elite community includes the chief communication officers of leading global companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies; the CEOs of public relations firms and other companies that serve the strategic communication function of major corporations; and distinguished educators at leading business and communication schools. Membership is selected through peer nomination only, with strict nomination criteria. For more information, visit www.page.org.