Harry Bruno
Harry Augustine Bruno (7 February 1893 – 21 March 1978) was a promoter of aviation and boating, and a pioneer public relations professional.
When World War I began, Harry took pilot training at Deseronto Airport with the Canadian Royal Flying Corps, Squadron 84 at Camp Mohawk.
He took on the challenge of organising air meets, holding shows, noting record flights, and promoting aviation investment.
To develop aviation transport, there was the need for airports, runway edge lights, navigational aids, and accurate weather forecasts.
In 1920 at the New York air show, Kathlene Martyn was hired to pose in silk pajamas for the "first sleeper plane".
Harry Bruno was one of the original Quiet Birdmen who met at Marta's Restaurant in Greenwich Village, and wore their pin of silver and blue wings on his lapel.
City officials, club leaders, and reporters were all given promotional flights to counter the reticence of the general public.
When Harry rode with pilot Durston G. Richardson on a 7,500 mile tour of the Great Lakes, they were awarded the Glidden trophy by the New York Aero Club.
Bruno helped promote skywriting by Jack Savage by having him write the telephone number to the Vanderbilt Hotel in New York City.
Contacting Grover Whalen, Bruno and Blythe arranged for their plane, Josephine Ford, to be put on display in the show window of Wanamaker's department store.
Bruno and Blythe assisted Charles A. Lindbergh in his preparations for the trans-Atlantic flight winning him the Orteig Prize of $25,000.
When Lindbergh grew weary of the demanding press that surrounded him, he was referred by Wright Aeronautical to Bruno and Blythe.
Bruno negotiated a $125,000 exclusive contract with The New York Times for Lindbergh's story, if he managed to make France.
Lindbergh had asked the United States Weather Bureau to notify him when there was a window of storm-free conditions over the notorious North Atlantic Ocean.
With a flying time of 33 hours and 39 minutes, Spirit of Saint Louis brought Lindbergh to Le Bouget Field.
Bruno and Blythe styled Lindbergh as a "plain citizen, dressed in the garments of everyday man" rather than a military uniform.
He also represented the Aircraft Development Corporation of Detroit which built ZMC-2, an all-metal dirigible designed by Ralph Hazlett Upson.
In 1931 Bruno and Blythe represented Wiley Post and his stellar navigator Harold Gatty for their round-the-world tour with the Winnie Mae.
To promote Essomarine, a product of Standard Oil, Bruno engaged artist Ted Geisel to develop a unique concept to sell the marine lubricant.
During World War II he was involved in training pilots at the Royal Canadian Air Force base at Ottawa.
Harry and Nydia became date and grapefruit farmers in 1942 when they purchased a ranch in the Coachella Valley in southern California.
At the age of 24, Harry and 21-year-old Edith had a daughter named Caroline, who was born on 29 November 1916 in Staten Island Hospital.
But more importantly, Bendix induced Bruno to move the agency offices to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a more opulent locale.
As a friend of James Rand, Jr., Bruno came to the aid of Remington Rand when they needed to increase awareness of the UNIVAC I. Bruno suggested to the Columbia Broadcasting System that, when the election returns came in for the Presidential election of 1952, the computer be engaged to forecast the results from early returns.
