Chicago-area direct marketing veteran and educator Betty Warden died of cancer June 10.
Warden was president of consulting firm Betty Warden Direct Marketing and the author of a self-published book, “Same Song, Second Verse: A Breast Cancer Survivor's Uplifting Story.”
“I think that Betty was just an incredibly warm, giving and generous human being,” said Neysa Bennett, president/CEO of DM executive search firm Bennett Wheelless Group Ltd., Chicago. “She was very kind and helpful to a lot of people, whether they [were] family, friends, acquaintances or students in her class.”
A longtime industry executive, Warden began her career at The Signature Group, where she spent 20 years. She also worked at ad agency Foote, Cone & Belding, Direct Response Corp. and Marsh & McLennan Group Associates.
Warden served as 1988-89 president of the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing. She also was executive director of the CADM Educational Foundation. In November she received CADM's Third Annual Pat Wheelless Award for Outstanding Mentorship.
She was part of the adjunct faculty of DePaul University. She also served as coordinator of the university's Institute for Interactive and Direct Marketing.
Warden is survived by a son, Adam, his wife and three grandchildren. Contributions in her name may be made to one of Warden's two favorite charities: Gilda's Club Chicago (www.gildasclubchicago.org) or the American Brain Tumor Association (www.abta.org).
