In celebration of CooperKatz' 20th anniversary this May, Co-Founder and Principal Ralph Katz reflects on the last 20 years in business. Could there have been a more interesting time to start and grow a communications business than the past 20 years?

What's next for CooperKatz in 2016?  Principle and Co-Founder Ralph Katz shares his thoughts on the impact of 2015 as well as lays out some of the trends we're looking forward to for next year.  Happy New Year's!

This December 10th marks a significant milestone of gratitude for me. Ten years ago I had open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve, expressed in a murmur that was identified the moment I was born and that had worsened over the years. Being totally healthy for these past ten years has given me the energy to heartily embrace many of life's joys, including graduations, weddings, the birth of all five of our grandchildren, the blossoming of new relationships and countless gatherings of family and friends.

Last week I was invited to participate with a client in a week-long gathering of their PR practitioners from around the world. The company, Amway (for American Way), began in Ada, Michigan in 1959 as a model of entrepreneurialism and free enterprise. It now conducts 90 percent of its business outside of the U.S. Over those 51 years, it built itself into a diverse, multicultural company that operates local businesses in approximately 80 markets around the world. This is very different from a U.S. company that opens a few offices around the world headed by executives sent from HQ.

So how did my experience differ from a meeting of U.S. colleagues and what did I learn in the process?  Read on to see…