Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame

The 2023 Induction Class:

David Beckerman began his advertising career with Radio Shack, a nine-store electronics chain based in Boston. As advertising manager, he helped grow sales in both the stores and in the company’s direct-mail catalog business. After Tandy Corporation bought and moved Radio Shack to Fort Worth, Beckerman served as vice president of operations for six years at Tandy.  He returned to Radio Shack as vice president and oversaw one of the largest in-house agencies in the country. Because of his mastery of direct mail marketing, Beckerman served as Secretary of the American Mail Marketing Association, on the Government Affairs Committee for the Direct Marketing Association and as Special Volunteer Advisor to the U.S. Postmaster General.

Allen Brivic is a nationally recognized media expert with over 45 years of experience.  He worked for several national agencies and handled the full range of media assignments for major accounts. Brivic relocated from New York City to Houston in 1987.  In 1992, he formed Taylor-Brivic, a media subsidiary of the Taylor-Smith Group. In 1997, he founded his own company, BrivicMedia, Inc., becoming the only six-time winner of the MAH Houston Advertising Agency of the Year. He has won numerous awards for his media acumen. Throughout his career Brivic has been actively involved in his local community. Currently, he serves on the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute National Council, as well as the Bayou City Art Festival Board.

Kevin Dobbs is known as an advertising professional at Dobbs Printing Company in Odessa, Texas where he was the third generation working as the preeminent printer in the Permian Basin, for his charitable work in his community and for his decades of service to the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Dobbs has made an impact locally, regionally and nationally in the AAF.  He served as President of the Permian Basin AAF, Governor of the 10th District, Chair of the AAF Council of Governors and Chair of the AAF Central Region. For almost two decades he has served as Executive Director of the AAF 10th District. As a leader, Dobbs has always worked to ensure the highest standards of professionalism for the industry.

Jay Hagins has always been the type of individual to say “yes, I will.” In 1980, Hagins served as president of AAF Houston.  He then continued his involvement as the Executive Director of the organization for more than a few decades. In 1988, Hagins was named the AAF 10th District Silver Medal Award recipient. In 2002, the 10th District once again honored him, this time with the Sterling Service Award. In 2015, Hagins was elected and served as Governor of the AAF 10th District. His accomplishments and contributions have impacted multiple organizations such as Texas Tech College of Media & Communications, The Houston Food Bank, the Rotary International and the Houston Society of Association Executives.

Lewis Kornfeld went to work for a one-store electronics company called Radio Shack in 1948, where his work focused on merchandising and advertising. He created catalog advertising for the mail-order business. By 1955, Kornfeld was instrumental in launching its entry into the import/export business in the Far East and opening several dozen company owned manufacturing profit centers, plus the company’s in-house ad agency. He would soon rise to the office of president of Radio Shack. Kornfeld as responsible for getting Radio Shack into the personal computer retailing and manufacturing business. He coined the slogan “The Biggest Name in Little Computers.”  Kornfeld would retire as Vice-Chairman of Tandy Corporation in 1981.

Gordon Law is a highly accomplished advertising professional who has represented the profession with honor. His distinguished career is full of highlights that include several executive-level agency leadership positions, the founding of three advertising agencies and a media buying firm, as well as serving for more than a decade as an adjunct college instructor at Southern Methodist University (SMU). He has served on boards and committees for the Ad Council Dallas, the Dallas Ad League, the Dallas All Sports Association, the United State Olympic Committee, the Kluber Family Foundation and the Semone’s Family YMCA. His accomplishments are a testament to his talent, hard work and dedication to the advertising profession.

Brad Todd has a list of agency clients in a career spanning more than 50 years that reads like an encyclopedia of American business. He started on the agency side in Chicago.  After a few years he moved to the client side and was hired by Frito-Lay and rose quickly to Marketing Director. He specialized in new product and new market development.  After almost 10 years on the client-side Todd made another major career change.  He became one of three principals to start the Richards Group in Dallas. While recognized for his creative brand strategy, Todd would go on to work on some of the most iconic advertising campaigns in advertising history.

Governor’s Award
PMG