HeritEdge^tm is a consulting service of Edward T. O'Donnell that offers expertise in history. Its essential purpose is to assist any individual, business, or institution in making the most of an asset all too often overlooked: its history. For some, this asset may have direct monetary value (as in advertising). For others the value of history lies in its ability to instill a sense of pride and purpose in people, be they employees, shareholders, or the members of the local community. 

About Edward T. O'Donnell 

Consulting services offered by HeritEdge^tm  

    Historical Consulting for Business and Institutions  

    Historical Consulting for Media and Film  

    Historical Consulting for Public History 
 

HISTORICAL CONSULTING for BUSINESS & INSTITUTIONS  

Advertising: increasingly businesses are strengthening the image of their stability, reliability, and adaptability by emphasizing their history. HeritEdge^tm can develop an accessible historical profile of a business or institution for use by a creative team.  

Creative teams in advertising can also draw upon HeritEdge^tm's historical knowledge to find images, events, personalities, and innovations from the past that can be incorporated into an advertising strategy or theme.  

Commemorative Exhibitions: to celebrate an anniversary or milestone, HeritEdge^tm can create a public exhibition that brings to life the rich and unique history of a business or institution. These productions can range in size from a small website feature, to a modest display in an office building lobby, to a full-scale exhibition mounted in a public museum. They can feature a combination of pictures, artifacts, video, and text.  

Corporate Museums: in recent years companies from Motorola, to Crayola, to Goodyear have established corporate museums highlighting their history. HeritEdge^tm can assist at every stage of the curatorial process, including the initial proposal, layout and design, research and
curation (object selection, display, and text writing).  

Special Events Consulting: to add texture and depth to special events, HeritEdge^tm can provide expertise in everything from selecting a historic setting, to arranging for historic programming, to publishing accompanying historic literature.  

Corporate Identity Enhancement: in the fast-paced global economy, many businesses are seeking ways to develop or enhance their corporate identity, both to build a stronger sense of loyalty and purpose among employees and to project a strong and positive image to potential investors. HeritEdge^tm can assist a corporation in this effort by working with its public relations and advertising departments to develop the historical aspects of that identity.  

Business and Institutional Histories: the HeritEdge^tm team will research and write a history of your business or institution of any length, from a single page for the back of a banquet menu, to a full corporate biography running two hundred pages or more.   

Archive Assessment: many businesses face the following dilemma: overwhelmed by mountains of yellowing documents, many of which they are no longer legally bound to preserve, they are tempted to throw them out. Yet they also want to avoid destroying archives of potential historic or monetary value. HeritEdge^tm will evaluate your archives and recommend a strategy for dealing with them in a convenient and responsible manner.  

Real Estate Development: for many real estate developers, the historical character of a proposed building or renovation can present both problems and opportunities. On the one hand, historical preservation laws can place an added burden on development. On the other, aspects of a site's history can be incorporated into its development design, from type of materials used, to the name of the development, to its promotional literature. In both cases HeritEdge^tm is ready to consult on preservation issues and to develop a historical profile for any property.  

Speech Writing Assistance: for speech writers seeking advice in developing historical themes or finding just the right historical reference, HeritEdge^tm is there to answer questions, conduct research, and offer guidance.  

Diversity Talks and Seminars: for businesses and institutions seeking to foster among their employees greater tolerance and sensitivity to issues of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.  HeritEdge^tm, in partnership with its sister organization, PastWise^tm, offers a unique program of informative talks by Edward T. O'Donnell. Click here to learn more. 

Historical Fact Checking and Research: give us the question, we'll find the answer.  Simple as that.  

HISTORICAL CONSULTING FOR FILM AND MEDIA  

Idea Development: for people making films (fictional or documentary) or news networks developing historical features (i.e., a series on African American history to coincide with Black History Month), HeritEdge^tm is ready to assist in any capacity, from participating in preliminary brainstorming sessions, to writing formal proposals, to on-location consulting.  

Accuracy Assurance: with the growing number of films and documentaries taking on historical subjects (i.e., the film "Gangs of New York") the need for historical accuracy has never been greater.  HeritEdge^tm provides a range of accuracy assurance services, including:   

    1. comprehensive fact-checking   

    2. preparation of a thorough preliminary historical report: this includes a detailed synthesis of the topic's history, specific summaries of the different, frequently opposing, historical interpretations on the subject, and a full bibliography of sources, from published books to archival material.  

     3. anachronism avoidance: consulting on the selection of props, clothing, scenery, and technology to avoid embarrassing anachronisms.  

Location Scouting: (for New York City only) In recent years New York City has emerged as one of the hottest places for movie making. As a result, the need for expert location scouts is greater than ever before. With intimate knowledge of the city's many facets, HeritEdge^tm is prepared to meet any location challenge. We'll find you that perfect interior, park, shop, apartment, building, factory, streetscape or urban vista.  

HISTORICAL CONSULTING FOR PUBLIC HISTORY  

Exhibitions: from research and consulting services to full curation, HeritEdge^tm is ready to provide assistance at every stage in the making of a historical exhibition.  

Documentaries: HeritEdge^tm has provided all manner of services to companies engaged in making documentaries, including idea development, brainstorming sessions, research (photo and archival), location scouting, and on-camera commentary.  

Heritage Trails: Ever since the establishment of Boston's pioneering "Freedom Trail"more than twenty years ago, more and more cities and neighborhoods are highlighting their rich history by creating heritage trails. Our team at HeritEdge^tm can assist at every stage in the process, from mapping, to research, to sign and text design, to developing accompanying literature.  

Historical Tourism: HeritEdge^tm has vast experience in this fast-growing field and is eager to advise institutions, tour companies, or municipal governments in developing a program in historical tourism. Such programs frequently include guided tours, museums, historic sites, lectures, and performances.