One, Claude Grunitzky, of Our Interviewees Honored….
Check out the 10/02/2008 Podcast, Provender, The Specialty Food Experts, and TRACE Magazine, Transculturalism
Claude Grunitzky, The Founder and Chairman – TRUE Agency and The
Founder, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief – TRACE Magazine, which explores “transcultural styles and ideas.” Grunitzky has unparalleled experience in magazine publishing and creating youth-oriented marketing programs on both sides of the Atlantic.
The son of a Togolese ambassador, Grunitzky was raised between Lomé, Togo; Washington, DC; Paris and London. Growing up, Grunitzky, who speaks six languages, was exposed to many different cultures. These foreign interactions shaped his transcultural philosophy and informed the creative energy of his ventures.
As Chairman of TRUE, an advertising agency specialized in diversity and social responsibility programs, Grunitzky leads a team of hand-picked professionals who cater to demanding clients at companies operating at the highest levels of the entertainment, sports, fashion, spirits, retail, philanthropy, technology and media industries. Launched in partnership with TBWAWorldwide, TRUE became an agency of record for Nissan in July 2002 and grew to over $40 million in billings within 5 years.
In February 2003, Grunitzky and two business partners completed a multimillion-dollar financing deal led by Goldman Sachs Group. As a result, the TRACE brand is now being leveraged globally across various magazine, television, event and interactive platforms.
In March 2004, Grunitzky published Transculturalism: How the World is Coming Together (PowerHouse Books) and released the French version, Transculturalismes (Editions Grasset) in 2008. In January 2007, he published the highly-acclaimed book Ten Years of TRACE (Booth-Clibborn Editions).
Grunitzky sits on the board of Humanity in Action, a foundation that works internationally to build global leadership, defend democracy, protect minorities and improve human rights. The recipient of many distinctions, he was named a finalist for the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award in 2007. In July 2009, Grunitzky was named the single most influential Frenchman in America by France Amérique magazine.
