Marshall Hoffman
Founder

In 1985, I decided to create a public relations company with a narrow focus — helping countries, international and national organizations and companies who deal with the world's poor.

I started Hoffman & Hoffman after a successful twenty-year career in the media. I worked for 10 years as a financial journalist and economist for U.S. News & World Report. I co-authored three best-selling books: two on sports medicine and one on real estate. The Sportsmedicine Book became a New York Times Syndicated column and a daily CBS radio show. From my third book, Sports Health, The Complete Book of Sports Injuries, I wrote and produced a Mutual Radio show on sports medicine and a sports medicine column forÊGannett News ServiceÊ(97 newspapers) and The New York Times Syndicate. I also ran my own real estate investment firm and co-owned a television production company.

For the next stage of my life, I wanted to do what I could to help people engaged in life and death issues in the developing world. I saw that the scientists, doctors and other professionals who were trying to bring modern technology and medicine to the poor of the developing world were doing marvelous and important work. But these people often lacked the skills to communicate the importance of their work to the media, foundations, non-government agencies, and governments of the industrialized world who financed their efforts. This is where I saw that I could bring my communication skills and energy to bear. I had the right background in economics, development, medicine and the media — radio, TV and print.

For almost 30 years, Hoffman & Hoffman has filled that niche. Some stories, The World Cancer Report and the 11 World Health Reports that Hoffman & Hoffman has released each reached audiences of one billion or more. Our work in 2010 and 2011 on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health has been instrumental at raising $50 billion in new commitments.

With these successes, it became clear that my public relations ideas and instincts were correct. The stories had a major impact. They changed policy and raised attention to the global problems.

Publicizing these issues has made a difference for our clients and altered the world agenda. I am proud of that, and I am proud of the professionals of H&H who have joined me in my endeavor. I look forward to many more years of using communication to make a difference.