Wallace A. Ross

[2] After college, Ross worked as a publicist for Madison Square Garden, and as the promotions manager of the Schwerin Research Corporation[3] in New York City (quality testing of programs and commercials for leading broadcast advertisers), as well as the publicist for the International Swimming Pool Company and its president, Esther Williams.

[14] The name "Clio" means the proclaimer, glorifier and celebrator of accomplishments, and is the name of the Ancient Greek muse of history.

The design of the statuette given to winners of the Clio was inspired by the Brancusi sculpture called "Bird in Space", which Ross originally viewed at the New York Museum of Modern Art.

The statuette was designed by Georg Olden, VP of McCann Erickson's Center for Advanced Practice.

In 1973, Ross became the Executive Director of the International Advertising Association,[16] a position he held until his death one year later.