God Bless you Charlie

“In every industry, there are bona fide originals... without them, nothing would have been the same and little would have been possible. Charlie Harness is such a person”

ACE chairman Simon Prodger gave the citation for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, this year given to Charles Harness.

The award is given to a man who cofounded a distribution company in the early 60’s and now, over 40 years later, is still championing and distributing independent titles.

Charlie Harness is a unique individual, who has given a huge amount to the industry and to independent publishers in particular. Felix Dennis, chairman of Dennis Publishing, says it all.

“In every industry, there are bona fide originals. They are not always the ones who end up with all the money, nor even with all the glory. But without them, nothing would have been the same and little would have been possible. Charlie Harness is such a person.

“Charlie has made it possible for scores of independent entrepreneurs to bring their dreams to the market place. His deep love and understanding of the magazine distribution business, combined with a genuine warmth of character and a complete trustworthiness (which has been his hallmark for over 40 years) has encouraged so many young publishers to succeed that the list would tax the patience of even his staunchest supporters.

“Without Charles Harness’s support and encouragement, Time Out publisher Tony Elliott would probably be a maître’d and I would be washing up the dishes here tonight.

“And yet Charlie has always been a welcome visitor in the corporate halls of magazine wholesaling and retailing too. It was Charlie who introduced me to the senior management of Smiths, Menzies and Dawson, and so many, many others. When Charlie speaks of magazine distribution, we all listen. And we listen because he is so often right – and so very rarely wrong.

“From four thousand miles across the ocean, then ladies and gentlemen, this publisher raises a silent glass in deepest thanks and appreciation to a bona fide professional and to a pioneer hero of British magazine distribution. To Charlie and his partner Erika. God bless ‘em!”

“Charlie has made it possible for scores of independent entrepreneurs to bring their dreams to the market place.”