In memoriam

We start with sad news today: Michael Sullivan, MSLGroup‘s North American consumer practice leader, has died. He joined the firm in 2010 and was preparing for a move to London to work on a P&G project for the firm. MSLGroup’s Renee Wilson has kind words for Sullivan on the firm’s blog. And memorial service information is available here.

Katie Barr Cornish has joined M Booth as VP of the firm’s travel practice. Clients include U.S. Virgin Islands, Wyndham Rewards, and Alliance Global Assistance. She will also help with business development efforts for the practice. She was previously VP at Lou Hammond & Associates, working with clients including Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and The Waldorf-Astoria.

Dana Lenetz has joined Hearst as associate director of PR for Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire. She was previously the PR manager for Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer.

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Create a social media strategy, launch your campaign, and track the results in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. The online event and workshop will feature speakers including The Onion‘s Baratunde Thurston (left), Facebook’s Morin Oluwole, and bitly’s Tim Devane. Register now.

Don Cornelius, creator of Soul Train, the Soul Train Music Awards, and Soul Train lines at parties and wedding receptions, died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds early this morning in Los Angeles. He was 75 years old.

With Soul Train, Cornelius created a platform to promote African-American music artists when few other options were available. But while the show provided “television for black folks,” dancers and performers of different backgrounds were also featured. Click here to check out Elton John doing one of the best “Bennie and the Jets” performances ever.

Cornelius hosted the show until 1993, was inducted in the Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For more great performances and a 1995 profile, click here.

We included the sad news in this morning’s Ticker: Tony Blankley, former press secretary for current GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich when he was leading the Republican charge in Congress during the 1990s, has died.

Blankley was also known for his appearances as a commentator on radio and television and as EVP of public affairs in Edelman’s D.C. office.

Rob Rehg, president of the firm’s D.C. office, sent us this comment via email:

Tony’s integrity, intellect and mastery of history and politics enriched our lives. He brightened our world with his colorful sartorial style, good humor and wonderful story telling. He was someone who truly fit the definition of a scholar and a gentleman. We were blessed to have had his wisdom, generous spirit and good company as part of our work family. We will miss him terribly.

Blankley was 63 years old. He died after a battle with stomach cancer.

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Claire Harrison, the president of CHA/Claire Harrison Associates who was a prominent industry fixture in the Bay Area during the 60s, 70s, and 80s, died last month at the age of 77. She succumbed to cancer.

Harrison specialized in work for the entertainment, real estate, hospitality, food, and professional services industries. She’s noted for her work with the film Five Easy Pieces, Easy Rider, Grease, and Saturday Night Fever, among other films. She also worked with area developers and hotels as well as organizations like San Francisco State University and companies like The Gap. Harrison’s firm appeared on “best of” lists and was recognized with industry awards.

A memorial service for family and close friends will be held in San Francisco on January 20. Harrison died on December 5.

Heineken USA has named Stacey Tank as SVP of corporate relations starting January 3. Tank was previously the head of corporate relations for G.E.’s $6 billion “Healthymagination” program and led the company’s 2011 launch of a $1 billion international cancer campaign.

Entertainment publicist Scotty Dugan died suddenly on Wednesday as he was en route to the funeral of music exec, film producer, and event promotions exec John Atterberry. Atterberry was gunned down in Hollywood on December 9. Witnesses say Dugan collapsed while waiting for a train. Dugan started as a reporter, working his way up to editor at The Hollywood Reporter before launching his own PR firm. He was handling PR for Atterberry’s indie Christian film God’s Country. [via THR]

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As we mentioned in The Ticker, Ofield Dukes died on Wednesday at the age of 79. Dukes worked with the LBJ administration and went on to open his own PR firm Ofield Dukes & Associates in 1969. His clients included Motown Records, CBS Records, and AT&T. He also consulted every Democratic presidential candidate since 1969, served as an adjunct professor at Howard and American Universities, was a journalist in his hometown of Detroit, and organized the first dinner of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1972. Dukes’ sister says he succumbed to a form of bone cancer. [via Washington Post]

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A congratulations to one of our own: PRNewser contributor Jason Chupick has been named VP of PR for Harper’s Magazine. In this role, he’ll be heading up traditional consumer and trade PR and work closely with web editor Jeremy Keehn on community development and management. Chupick reports to John R. MacArthur, the magazine’s publisher and president. Great news!

Karen van Bergen has joined Porter Novelli as senior partner and MD of the New York office, effective January 1. She previously served as the leader of OneVoice, an Omnicom offering from Fleishman-Hillard and Ketchum. To assume this role, van Bergen will be relocating from Amsterdam. She is replacing assistant MD Joe Russo who has been filling the role on an interim basis.

Michael Bush has left MSLGroup for Edelman. He joined MSLGroup in February, serving as VP and comms director for the firm. Prior to that he was a reporter for Ad Age and PRWeek. At Edelman, he’s VP of media relations.

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Apple launched a web page today, Remembering Steve, featuring some of the many messages of condolence over the death of Steve Jobs. You can still share your thoughts at rememberingsteve@apple.com.

The launch was coupled with a 90-minute closure at 1p.m. ET of Apple stores around the country for a memorial service held at the company’s Cupertino, CA HQ.

Apple continues on a successful path, announcing that four million iPhone 4S devices were sold in the first three days and releasing impressive earnings (though they were below expectations).

Not long after a Hong Kong student, Jonathan Mak, popularized a tribute logo to Steve Jobs, an Apple appreciator in Chicago took his devotion to the next level by setting up Steve Jobs street banners outside the Apple store in honor of his passing.

Eric Brightfield, principal of ImageFiction in Chicago, created the design, printed it on heavy-duty canvas and he and his team installed the banners “under cover of night,” he said in an email.

The banners were still up today, and Brightfield said the Apple employees were under the impression that the city of Chicago presented the tribute.

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Nicole Sabatini has been named the SVP of marketing for the Style Network. Sabatini served as the VP of ad sales and marketing for Bravo Media since 2007. In her new role, she will oversee consumer marketing, brand partnerships, new media, and other marketing areas.

Hernan Daguerre, the director of external comms at T-Mobile, has died in a car crash at the age of 38, PRWeek reports. Daguerre had been with the company for a year, working previously with companies including Nike and MTV.

Lena Hoareau has been put in charge of the new Seychelles Tourism Board London office. The PR office will also serve as a news bureau for media in Europe and in untapped markets. Hoareau is also responsible for the European PR office and has served in the lead position previously for the news bureau. [via Breaking Travel News]

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