Marry Wells Lawrence was an American advertising executive. She was the founding president of Wells Rich Greene (WRG) and made a mark in advertising during an age when men dominated the field. Lawrence was also the first female CEO of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. By 1969, Lawrence was reported to be the highest-paid executive in advertising. In 1971 Lawrence was named Advertising Woman of the Year by the American Advertising Federation. Among Mary's most recognizable work are the I Love New York and Alka Seltzer campaigns. She was selected by U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller to be a member of his Commission on Critical Choices for Americans and was also invited by U.S. President Gerald Ford to an Economic Summit in Washington, D.C. Lawrence battled uterine and breast cancer in 1980 and 1984, respectively. After nearly 40 years in the advertising business, Lawrence retired. WRG merged with the French agency BDDP and eventually ceased operations in 1998,donating its archive of print and television ads to Duke University’s John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History. In 1999 , Lawrence was inducted into the American Advertising Hall of Fame. Her autobiography, A Big Life (in Advertising), was published in 2002. https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/mary-wells-lawrence-1928-2024-legendary-advertising-exec/