Tonight in New York City, Norm Grey will be inducted into The One Club’s Advertising Hall of Fame. Norm is cofounder of Creative Circus, and only the third educator to receive this prestigious honor (Rob Lawton, another Circus cofounder is already in the Hall).

I’ve known Norm for over 20 years through mutual friends. I remember when they started Creative Circus–– a band of renegades breaking off from The Portfolio Center determined to succeed as the premier advertising school in the country.

Norm had the passion, wisdom, empathy, compassion and caring to nurture talent and attract great teachers. He had vision, determination and patience. Legions of talented people came out of the circus with their logo ball caps and heads filled with knowledge, discipline and imagination that would change and charge the advertising industry worldwide.

You know the alums, their names are in the index of award show books. Their work is everywhere, their network of influence both incredible and pervasive.

And every grad can trace her/his roots back to Norm, the head of the Circus family. He’s the Don Corleone of modern communications, without all the bloodshed.

Congratulations, Norm, you are a true Mensch among men and an inspiration. Long may you reign.