Contact: Patti LaSalle
SMU Public Affairs
(214) 768-7660

 

LIENER TEMERLIN
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS, TEMERLIN MCCLAIN

Liener Temerlin is a legend in the advertising business. Mr. Temerlin began his career in advertising nearly 50 years ago as a copywriter for Glenn Advertising. In 1953, the agency had billings of a half million dollars. Since that time, Temerlin McClain has grown to become the leading agency in the Southwest, closing 2000 at $650 million in billings. This year, Temerlin McClain became part of the Interpublic Group, the largest advertising, marketing, and communications resource in the world. Mr. Temerlin currently serves as chairman emeritus of Temerlin McClain.

From the beginning, Mr. Temerlin’s philosophy has been the hallmark for the agency, its employees, and its culture. While the name of the agency has changed a number of times over the years, one thing has remained constant -- Mr. Temerlin. He is widely credited with helping to bring, for the first time, major national and international advertising accounts to Texas and the Southwest, such as Hyatt Hotels, Max Factor, Quaker Oats, Pfizer, Philippine Airlines, and Warner Lambert. Currently, Temerlin McClain serves a number of leading global corporations, including American Airlines, Bell Helicopter, Exxon Mobil, Nortel Networks, Subaru of America, Texas Instruments, and many others.

Mr. Temerlin has a long-standing reputation for his civic and community involvement and has received numerous awards and special recognition for his contributions to advertising, the arts, and philanthropic programs, including the Linz Award and the Silver Cup Award. Mr. Temerlin served as president and chairman of the Dallas Symphony Association and chaired the opening fortnight of the new I.M. Pei-designed Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. He also has served on the Board of the Dallas Museum of Art. His relationship with Southern Methodist University dates back nearly 15 years. Mr. Temerlin has served as a member of SMU’s Board of Trustees, the Committee on University Development, and the Executive Board of the Meadows School of the Arts. He also taught for a year as a visiting professor in SMU’s advertising program.

As planned since 1997 when he turned the day-to-day operations of the agency over to his long-time partner Dennis McClain, Mr. Temerlin became chairman emeritus in October 2001. Mr. Temerlin still offices in Temerlin McClain and helps the agency whenever called upon. Now his plans are to devote time to the Temerlin Institute and its Advisory Board, to consulting activities in non-competitive areas, and a number of other projects.

Mr. Temerlin received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Oklahoma. He served as a lieutenant in Field Artillery with the U.S. Army in Korea, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. He and his wife, Karla, have two married daughters and five grandchildren.

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