Weigand, Saatchi Media Vet, Dies at 63

LOS ANGELES Richard Weigand, a respected figure in Saatchi & Saatchi's media department for more than three decades, died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he retired three years ago. Weigand was 63. "Richard was truly one of the good guys in our business, especially on the media side, where people with big wallets often get swelled heads," said Scott Gilbert, co-CEO of Saatchi, New York, and former CEO at Saatchi's Torrance, Calif., office, where Weigand was media director upon his retirement. "Richard always had his feet on the ground, and when his hand was out, it was for a handshake, not with his palm up, looking for influence.""He was such a special mentor for so many people in the industry, either in print, broadcast or other agencies," said Tim Murphy, group account director at Saatchi. "He taught them to maintain the highest standards, no matter what."Weigand, who joined Saatchi in New York in 1965, was instrumental in the movement of the shop's Toyota media operations to Los Angeles in 1986. His launches for Toyota date back to the Celica."Richard was fair, a great listener and was respected not only by the media department, but by everyone in the agency and outside world who had contact with him," said Emily Weiss, media director at Interpublic Group's Dailey & Associates, who replaced Weigand at Saatchi in 2001. "Everyone knew they could get a fair shot with him. That sort of quality trickled down to everyone in the media department. He set the gold standard."Weiss talked to Weigand a few days before he died. Far from complaining about his illness, she said "he was excited that Cathy Jenkins [his executive administrative assistant at Saatchi in L.A.] had told him that the Magazine Representatives had named an annual award in his name, for excellence in print-media planning." "Richard was always an approachable, smart advocate for his clients," said Michael Reagan, Mag Reps chairman. "The board felt compelled to honor him for his many years of friendship and his passion for the media business. In part, we acted so quickly so that we could share this idea with him before he passed."Weiss said Weigand especially liked to watch things grow. "His passions were the stock market and his garden," she said. "Richard was a breed apart, in that he was always so even tempered and fair."His wife, Bonnie, and two sons, David and Jeff, survive him.A viewing is set for tonight at the Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary in Scottsdale. The funeral is Saturday at 10 a.m.

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Weigand, Saatchi Media Vet, Dies at 63

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