Norris Clark

Activist, Business adviser, Christian, Concerned citizen, Consultant, Educator/Teacher, Marketer, Promoter, Public servant, World traveler

My story is shaped by the stories I was told. My maternal grandfather, a globetrotting activist preacher, encouraged me to learn the human story by selling educational books door-to-door. My mother the English teacher taught me the value of a well-written story, while my father, an electrical engineer who designed the broadcasting antenna atop the World Trade Center, told me the story of a new digital age in communications. Their stories are reflected in my own story – a teacher turned advocate turned marketing communications executive. Now as the Managing Partner of PSC (Princeton Strategic Communications), I join a talented team of communicators to tell the stories of good companies and causes. Before starting PSC, I was appointed by the NJ State Board of Education to open the Family and Community Relations Office, directing constituent responses and community outreach, while forging stakeholder partnerships in support of an ambitious education reform effort. For years I told the stories of our beloved Jersey Shore including Wildwood and Cape May, helping clients win the Brass Ring Award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the NJ Governor’s Tourism Award in 2010, and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Award for website redesign. Upon seeing Ross Perot on television in 1992, my wife (a Wall Street veteran) handed me the phone and challenged me to do something about the national debt, which led me to help Perot form a two million member national advocacy organization for government reform. At the encouragement of Perot, I made marketing communications my career and joined Perot Systems specializing first in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) serving Saks Fifth Avenue, then in Telecom serving AT&T, and finally in Financial Services serving UBS. To round out my communications experience, I became Vice President at New York City-based Magnet Communications for learning and technology accounts such as IBM and the Thomson Corporation. While studying for a Masters in religion and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, I taught college courses and developed continuing education programs in Cape May including the Art Kane Photo Workshops and the Cape May Music Festival. When I’m not helping clients tell their stories, I serve as the Deputy Mayor for my hometown, organize TEDxCapeMay, and travel as much as I can.

Telling the stories of good companies and causes.

Story-telling is the best form of persuasion.

Communications - public relations, Philosophy

At TEDActive 2010, we drank deeply from the TED well. Jamie Oliver made us think twice about our food while Bill Gates made us rethink our fuel. Natalie Merchant gave new life to old poems while David Cameron envisioned a new life for his old country. We returned for two subsequent TEDActive events Our first TEDxCapeMay event in 2011 explored "Recreation and Re-Creation" and drew over 100 attendees, some of whom became part of our ongoing organizing team. Since our first event, our annual presentations have been viewed by over nine million people.

ping pong and backgammon