A Quiet Force Who Shaped the Future of Financial Communications

Joe Walsh (The Eagles) with Gene Marbach, photo by Joe Nardi

With deep gratitude and heartfelt respect, we remember and celebrate the life of Gene Marbach, an insightful communicator, generous colleague and forward-thinking force in investor relations and corporate communications.

Gene never sought the spotlight. Instead, he earned something far more meaningful, the enduring respect of those who worked alongside him. He was a steady presence, always composed, smart and kind. He was also steps ahead in understanding where the fields of investor relations and financial communications were headed. Long before digital transformation became a common phrase, Gene was already exploring how social media and emerging platforms could transform investor engagement. He did not simply adapt to change. He welcomed it with curiosity, optimism and clarity.

Gene played a central role in the creation and evolution of CommPRO. As a contributing editor, he expanded our editorial lens to focus more deeply on the intersections of finance, communication and innovation. His articles brought lasting thought leadership to our pages. His insights sparked critical industry conversations. His support was constant. You could always count on Gene to make time, listen fully and offer thoughtful, steady guidance.

Gene’s decades-long career, including his most recent role as group vice president at Makovsky + Company, was rooted in expertise and shaped by integrity. He also led countless panels and webinars that helped define the direction of our industry. One moment stands out. In 2013, shortly after the SEC ruled that companies could disclose material information through social media, Gene moderated a pioneering CommPRO event. This live panel brought together leaders from NASDAQ, NYSE, public companies and disclosure services to discuss the implications of the ruling. It was a defining moment in financial communications, and Gene was, as always, at the center. He was not there for recognition. He was there to advance the discussion.

Gene Marbach left a mark that continues to ripple across our industry. He was cool in the truest sense—calm under pressure, humble in victory and always ahead of his time. His legacy lives on in the work we do, the stories we tell and the standard he set for integrity and insight.

We are deeply grateful to have known Gene and to have worked alongside him. His warmth, wisdom and commitment to purposeful communication will be remembered always.

Since his passing, I received a heartfelt note from Keith E. Gottfried, president and CEO of Gottfried Shareholder Advisory LLC, who knew Gene well and reflected what so many of us feel—he was the kind of person who made everything better simply by being part of it:

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Gene Marbach, a legend in the investor relations and public relations ecosystem and a valued friend and mentor to many, including myself.

I first met Gene around 2010. As I was refocusing my M&A practice on shareholder activism defense and establishing myself as a thought leader, I had the privilege of collaborating with Gene on numerous shareholder activism educational programs that he developed and moderated for CommPRO.

Gene was extremely passionate about promoting thought leadership. He was way before his time because, at that time (unlike today), there were not a lot of other folks developing shareholder activism programs. Technology was much different then and, given that we were many years before the arrival of virtual meeting platforms like Zoom, we mostly did the programs without anyone being on camera and sometimes just over a conference phone line.

Nevertheless, Gene’s soothing voice, commanding presence, and engaging manner kept folks attuned. I will forever be grateful for having known and collaborated with Gene and his memory will always be a blessing.”

Since drafting this, I received a heartfelt note from Brian Pittman, who played an influential role in the founding of CommPRO in 2010:

“My heart breaks at the passing of Gene—and it goes out to his entire family and everyone lucky enough to have known and worked with him over the years—Gene was a friend, mentor and inspiration in every sense.

I first met him when I was a rookie editor at Bulldog Reporter. Breaking into PR and comms is one thing, but financial comms and IR is a steeper learning curve—and Gene helped me climb it. He had a knack for making the dense stuff feel human. That’s what he brought to everything and everyone: Humanity. And heart. And humility.

A true leader in the comms space, balanced IQ and EQ like the rest of us only wish we could. He also lived the “relations” public relations and investor relations like few others—and never missed a beat when it came to connecting and helping others.I remember one industry dinner, in particular. I was nervous about meeting SVPs. He noticed, intro’d me around, then the two of us spent the evening huddled in a philosophical conversation about, I think, Kantian ethics (saving each other from the misery of small talk and diving right into the deep end, lol).

That was Gene: steady voice, generous and curious spirit—still waters that ran deep. Outside of comms, he was also a musician. A guitarist with a love of vintage axes (pretty sure a custom Gibson Firebird was in the mix). There’s something about his musician’s soul that infused everything he did. From fretboard to board room, he was patient, passionate and proficient. It showed up in every webinar he moderated, every thought leadership piece he posted, every client he counseled.

Gene lifted everyone up, me included. I am forever grateful, and he’ll be forever missed.He also loved a good metaphor and so do I, so here goes: May the quiet chord he struck in our lives keep resonating! Godspeed, Gene.”

Gene’s memory is a blessing.