Mary Wells Lawrence, a pioneering figure in the advertising industry, has passed away at the age of 95. She died on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in London.
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Her daughter, Katy Bryan, confirmed her death, stating that Mary Wells Lawrence breathed her last in a hospital.
Widely recognized as a trailblazer, Mary Wells Lawrence achieved numerous milestones throughout her career.
She made history as the first woman to own and operate a major national advertising agency, Wells Rich Greene. Additionally, she became the inaugural female chief executive of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
During the 1970s, Mary Wells Lawrence was renowned as one of the highest-paid executives in the advertising industry, commanding a salary exceeding $300,000, which is equivalent to over a million dollars in today’s currency.
In 1990, Mary Wells Lawrence sold her agency for a staggering $160 million, paving the way for her well-deserved retirement. Throughout her illustrious career, she solidified her reputation as one of the most influential and successful women in advertising.
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Despite facing health challenges, including battles with uterine and breast cancer in the 1980s, Mary Wells Lawrence remained resilient and continued to leave an indelible mark on the industry.
In her later years, Mary Wells Lawrence divided her time between residences in New York, the south of France, and her yacht in the Mediterranean. In 2020, she relocated to London, where she continued her work on wowOwow, a website catering to women’s interests.
Mary Wells Lawrence’s personal life was marked by significant relationships. She had two daughters with Bert Wells, Pamela and Kathy.
After divorcing Bert for the second time in 1965, she married former Braniff International Airways president, Harding Lawrence, on November 25, 1967. Together, they had four children. Harding Lawrence passed away on January 16, 2002, at the age of 81, after battling pancreatic cancer.
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