Bruce Kupper is a marketer, author and entrepreneur who currently lives in the St. Louis suburb of Ladue, Missouri. With 31 years in the communications industry, Kupper currently serves as a founding partner of Black Twig Communications, as Vice President of Marketing for Celebrity Chef Kitchens and author of the recently published book Personality Sells. [1]
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Born in Geneva, New York, and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire, Bruce graduated cum laude from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he received a B.A. in political science. [2]
As a young man, he worked as a sports reporter for The Nashua Telegraph as well as a radio sports announcer in Lewiston. Bruce served Senator William Cohen, then U.S. Senator from Maine and later United States Secretary of Defense in the Clinton administration, as central district staff member and office manager from 1973 to 1975. [2]
Kupper was accepted into the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Turning down the opportunity, he won a fellowship in public affairs from the Coro Foundation and set his sights on San Francisco. Instead, Kupper ended up in St. Louis. [1]
From 1976-1977, Kupper was an Account Executive at Lieberman Advertising. He then founded Kupper Advertising in 1977. In 1991, Kupper Advertising acquired the Parker Group and formed Kupper Parker Communications. Kupper served as President of Kupper Parker until the company dissolved in 2006 and then helped launch Black Twig Communications. [1]
Bruce Kupper is currently a founding partner of Black Twig Communications, a full service communications agency specializing in public relations, marketing, web development and creative services. [3] Black Twig holds offices in St. Louis and in New York. [1]
In 2006 and 2007, the St. Louis Business Journal ranked Black Twig as the largest privately held Public Relations firm in St. Louis. [4] Black Twig’s headquarters are now located at 7711 Bonhomme Avenue in Clayton, Missouri. [3]
Kupper also serves as Vice President for Marketing for Celebrity Chef Kitchens. The organization aims to deliver food items to the consumer that have exceptional taste, natural ingredients and focus on utilizing small farms focusing on sustainability. The growing list of products includes: coffees, all natural salsas (vinegar free), all natural barbecue sauce (without any high fructose corn syrup), grass fed butter, grass fed beef, soups, Sous Vide Entrees and gourmet snacks. [5]
In spring of 2008, Kupper penned the marketing book Personality Sells.[6] Personality Sells is an in-depth look into how a product's definable personality can help it transcend advertising and become a recognizable part of our landscape. [7]
In 2000, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year program recognized Bruce’s entrepreneurial achievements.
He was also awarded recognition in the Communication/Entertainment category in both 1998 and 1999. [8]
His management practices were acknowledged in 1999 when he received the Arthur Andersen Gateway Best Practices Award for “Best Practices Motivating and Retaining Employees.” [9]