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Wolfstar mourns loss of a valued colleague.
Wolfstar Consultancy is devastated at the tragic and untimely death yesterday of colleague and deputy managing director Mark Hanson. Mark was highly valued member of the Wolfstar Consultancy team, a truly professional and experienced public relations practitioner. His thinking contributed to the development of the public relations profession and he was a genuine pioneer in modernised media relations. He is also well recognised for the enormous contribution he made to the Labour Party’s new media strategy.
He will be sorely missed on both a professional and personal level by all at Wolfstar Consultancy and those that had the pleasure of working with him.
Mark had been depressed for a very long time and bravely battling against the illness. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
UPDATE
Here are a number of tributes to Mark, if you know of others, please add them on the comments:
- LabourList from Alex Hilton, Jag Singh, Sue Macmillan, David Prescott, Alex Smith, Mike Joslin, Derek Draper, Tom Miller, Mark McDonald, Will Straw, Adam Dustagheer, Lawrence Durnan and Paul Staines (Guido Fawkes).
- From collegaues at Wolfstar Consultancy: Jed Hallam, Anthony Devenish and Chris Woolford
- And of course the wonderful tributes from Iain Dale, Mark’s friends at Staniforth and Luke Bozier.
If you want to make a donation in Mark’s name you can do so here to MIND and Mayhew Animal Home.
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Andrew Mac
March 3, 2011thoughts with his family and all at Wolfstar. A
Andrew Mac
March 3, 2011thoughts with his family and all at Wolfstar. A
Thomas Atcheson
March 3, 2011Although I met Mark on only a few occasions, it is obvious he was a talented PR practioner with an excellent knowledge of social meida. He will be missed by the industry and the wider Leeds community. My thoughts are with his family and all of his colleagues at Wolfstar.
Jonathan Richard Hirst
March 3, 2011Second person in as many weeks from our industry to pass away far too early.
Very sad.
N Hands
March 3, 2011This is so sad, thoughts are with you all and of course his family.
whole9yards.co.uk
March 3, 2011So sad – our thoughts are with his friends & family.
Steve Earl
March 3, 2011I only met Mark once and found to him to be one of the most genuine, clued-up and friendly people in the business. Very, very sad. This is a real loss. Condolencies to his family, friends and colleagues.
simon_alexander
March 3, 2011Thoughts with his family and all at Wolfstar.
Mark Pinsent
March 3, 2011Very sad news indeed. Many condolences.
Anonymous
March 3, 2011Prayers have been said, I hope you are in a good place now.
Melanie Seasons
March 3, 2011Incredibly sad. My thoughts are with you right now.
Alison Dwyer
March 3, 2011I first met Mark when he stood in, last minute, for Stuart at the CIPR Leeds conference. I think he had only been with Wolfstar a few weeks. He was great and the more you had a chance to talk to him, the more you understood just how talented he was. Our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues – such sad, sad news.
Mike Briercliffe
March 3, 2011Very sad time for all concerned. Condolences to all from all at Dubit.
Carol Arthur
March 3, 2011Mark was a last minute ‘shoe in’ for Stuart at the CIPR Northern Conference 2009. He did a brilliant job and was so pleasant and engaging. Very sad to his of his tragic death. Condolences from all at Northern Lights PR and regional CIPR
Ginnie Oram
March 3, 2011I worked closely with Mark at Staniforth and am so sad to hear this news. A great guy who I learnt a lot from and who was always a real support to me. Wherever he is now, I hope he’s finally at peace. Gone but not forgotten
Libby
March 3, 2011Desperately sorry to hear this terrible news. Mark was a lovely man and a very talented professional. Libby Howard
Antony
March 3, 2011I worked with Mark and held him in very high esteem. So sad to hear this. My thoughts are with his family and with you guys, who must be feeling such a deep sense of loss.
Paul Doleman
March 3, 2011Both personally and on behalf of iCrossing our deepest sympathies. I’m so sad to hear this tragic news. Mark was an outstanding PR professional and is involvement with iCrossing enriched the lives of our staff and our clients.
It seems only yesterday we were discussing business opportunities and old labour values whilst watching a football game in Manchester.
Everytime we met some of his infectious enthusiasm rubbed off on me.
Our thoughts are with Mark’s family, friends and you guys. Please express our condolences to his family.
Tamsinbishton
March 3, 2011So so so sad. I worked with him briefly and had always hoped we would work much more closely in the future. Even yesterday I was thinking that! Must be horrendous for everyone who knew him well. Deepest sympathy.
Joel
March 4, 2011Very sad to hear the news. Are thoughts are with his family and the Wolfstar team.
From all the Tinderbox Media team.
Joel
March 4, 2011Sorry – ‘our’ thoughts.
Mark Hanson, RIP | Jed Hallam
March 4, 2011[...] As many of you will have heard yesterday, Mark Hanson, the deputy managing director of Wolfstar Consultancy, passed away on Wednesday. Mark had been suffering from depression for quite some time and took his own life (our official statement is here). [...]
Andy Wake
March 4, 2011Sincerest regrets to all Mark’s colleagues and family. We didn’t know him well but Mark spoke 4 or 5 times at events we managed and was passionate, eloquent and seriously talented in equal measures. Such a tragic loss for the comminications industry.
Andy & Nicky Wake
Ben Cotton
March 4, 2011This is such sad news and puts everything into perspective.
I had the pleasure to meet Mark on a couple of occasions and our paths crossed several times through work. He was a great guy and held in such high esteem.
My thoughts are with Mark’s family, friends and colleagues.
RIP.
Helen Salt & Martin Wright
March 4, 2011Such devastating news. I had the privilege of knowing Mark for a number of years on a professional basis and always found him to be a true delight to deal with, he was clearly a massively talented individual with a genuinely lovely manner about him…which makes this news so shocking and tragic…My thoughts are with all his friends, colleagues and family at this unbearably sad time.
Anonymous
March 5, 2011Please pass on my condolences to Mark’s family and colleagues. I knew him a little through his work and support for the Labour Party. I also know that he fought with depression for a long time. I am so so sad that he lost that fight, and hope his family find the strength and support they need
Andy Green
March 7, 2011My thoughts are with you all – I met Mark several times on a number of my training courses and heard Mark deliver a great session for the CIPR.
A real great bloke and insightful professional.
You just wish somehow he could have reached out – and see the real reality of the love and esteem that was here for him.
A terrible, terrible loss.
Ian Christon
March 14, 2011I was shocked to read the news in PR Week. I met Mark on several occasions as he helped the organisation I work for find its way in the social media world. I found him talented, informative and engaging – and a genuinely nice bloke. He always seemed upbeat and positive – which has probably compounded the shock about his death. But I guess that is the terrible thing about depression. My deepest sympathies go to his wife and family and everyone who worked with him.
Ed
March 17, 2011A friend told me of Mark’s death about an hour ago. I grew up in Eccleston, St Helens with Mark and I was in the same year as him at high school. I remember him fondly and he was a good mate at school, he always seemed to be smiling. I didn’t really know how much Mark accomplished in his life since High School; I now learn he accomplished more than most would in a longer lifetime. I spend quite a bit of time in Leeds now and it would have been cool to just bump into him just one time and say hello, maybe I could have done something to help him… Sending my sincerest sympathy to his family and everyone who knew him.
A tribute to my friend, Mark Hanson | Jag Singh
February 11, 2012[...] reactions here: Stuart Bruce, LabourList, Wolfstar, Iain Dale, Jed Hallam, Staniforth PR. Categories: Personal No comments [...]