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the late PR professional Bill Bongiorno

Practice Management > Marketing and Communications

PR Pro Bill Bongiorno Remembered by Colleagues, Clients

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William “Bill” Bongiorno, a longtime and highly regarded public relations professional serving the financial industry and an active volunteer in his hometown of Lewisboro, New York, has died.

Bongiorno, founder of Blue Chip PR, worked in communications since 1992. He started the South Salem, New York-based firm in September 2004, according to his LinkedIn profile, which also notes that he worked as an actor — playing the role of a print reporter in the HBO movie “Paterno,” which starred Al Pacino, for instance.

“I have known Bill personally for over 25 years and had a wonderful working relationship with him,” said Janet Vasquez, founder and president of JVPRNY.

“When I started my own agency 13 years ago, Bill became our strategic partner,” she told ThinkAdvisor via email. ”I had worked with Bill when he was an account manager at [the firm] Mount & Nadler in the late ’90s. At Blue Chip PR, we worked on a number of campaigns together. Bill was the consummate  professional.”

David Goldstone, manager of investment research at Condor Capital Wealth Management, which Blue Chip PR represented, explained that Bongiorno “was a talented and well-respected man. I worked with Bill for years, and he not only helped us build great relationships through his work, he was a pleasure to be around.

“He was a bright, energetic and positive man, and will be greatly missed,” Goldstone added via email.

Blue Chip’s website said Bongiorno worked in the blockchain and alternative investment arenas, and landed top panel and moderator slots for his blockchain and financial services clients.

Bongiorno, a State University of New York-Buffalo graduate who earned a B.A. in communications, also devoted a great amount of his time to the local community. A few weeks before his passing, he was awarded a proclamation from Lewisboro for his role in securing a $100,000 donation to help restore the town’s ballpark and in helping to oversee work on it.

His personal blog features stories and personal insights about Lewisboro and its residents, among other topics. Also, Bongiorno ran for Lewisboro supervisor in 2021 “to make us a community of neighbors again!” according to a Facebook campaign page.

“Bill’s passion for serving the Lewisboro community was evident in his tireless efforts as a volunteer and a fundraiser,” reads a remembrance of Bongiorno posted by his family. “He dedicated his time to various organizations including the Boy Scouts of America as a leader and Lewisboro Baseball as a coach.”

Bongiorno is survived by his children, Sarah and Will; his wife, Robbin; and other family members. Donations to cover his funeral expenses and children’s education would be greatly appreciated at this time, they say, and can be made via GoFundMe.


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