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Herbert "Herb" Schmertz (March 22, 1930January 17, 2018) was a vice president of public affairs for the Mobil Corporation whose advocacy for sponsoring programs on PBS significantly influenced the relationship between PBS and major corporations.
Schmertz was first employed by Mobil as "manager of the corporate labor relations department" in 1966. He was later promoted to "manager of corporate planning coordination" in 1968, then to "vice president for public affairs" in 1969 and "president of Mobil Shipping and Transportation Co." in 1973, before choosing to return to his previous vice president position in 1974. He first joined the Mobil company board after his promotion in 1969 and was also elected to the Mobile Oil company board in 1976.
From the initial joining of Mobil in 1966 to his leaving of the company in 1988, Schmertz oversaw a number of advertisements placed into the 
The sponsorship of '' Masterpiece Theatre'' in 1971 was a major public relations success for Mobil, and it allowed Schmertz, as an underwriter for the show, to build relations with various artists and media executives, even those opposed to Mobil's views.
In 1983, former president
Early life
Schmertz was born in Yonkers, New York, on March 22, 1930, and grew up inNew Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state of ...
, with his brother, Eric. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Union College in 1952 and a Bachelor of Laws from Columbia University in 1955. For two years, from 1955 to 1957, he worked for the United States Army's intelligence efforts in Washington, D.C. Schmertz further received a Doctor of Law degree from Union in 1977.
Career
Schmertz was first employed by Mobil as "manager of the corporate labor relations department" in 1966. He was later promoted to "manager of corporate planning coordination" in 1968, then to "vice president for public affairs" in 1969 and "president of Mobil Shipping and Transportation Co." in 1973, before choosing to return to his previous vice president position in 1974. He first joined the Mobil company board after his promotion in 1969 and was also elected to the Mobile Oil company board in 1976.
From the initial joining of Mobil in 1966 to his leaving of the company in 1988, Schmertz oversaw a number of advertisements placed into the Op-Ed
An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page", is a written prose piece, typically published by a North-American newspaper or magazine, which expresses the opinion of an author usually not affiliated with the publication's editorial board. O ...
section of The New York Times, beginning in 1970. These were used to explain Mobil's position on issues concerning the United States and the company, along with criticism of Mobil's opponents.
In 1970, Stan Calderwood of WGBH-TV approached Mobil to see if the company was interested in funding a production of '' The Forsyte Saga'' on PBS. Schmertz supported the idea, as it would allow Mobil to buy 39 hours of television on PBS for a far cheaper price than it would otherwise cost. This continued for further programs and led to the use of what Schmertz called "affinity-of-purpose marketing", where audiences began associating successful television shows with the companies sponsoring them.
The sponsorship of '' Masterpiece Theatre'' in 1971 was a major public relations success for Mobil, and it allowed Schmertz, as an underwriter for the show, to build relations with various artists and media executives, even those opposed to Mobil's views.
In 1983, former president Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
nominated Schmertz to be on the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy
The United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (ACPD), created in 1948, is tasked by Congress with "appraising U.S. Government activities intended to understand, inform, and influence foreign publics and to increase the understanding of ...
for a term lasting until 1985.
In 1986, Schmertz authored ''Goodbye to the Low Profile: The Art of Creative Confrontation,'' a meditation on his experiences with the news media while working for Mobil Oil.
Schmertz began his own consulting business, Schmertz Co., after leaving his Mobil position in 1988. He was hired as a volunteer for Edward Kennedy's 1980 presidential campaign and later worked with Bob Dole
Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 – December 5, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. He was the Republican Leader of the Senate during the final 11 years of his te ...
's 1988 presidential campaign.
Personal life
Schmertz has five children and six grandchildren. He died on January 17, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Florida.See also
* Halo effectReferences
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmertz, Herbert 1930 births 2018 deaths Union College (New York) alumni Columbia Law School alumni ExxonMobil people International Emmy Directorate Award People from Yonkers, New York