Draft N.Y. CCO Dies at 51

CHICAGO Shelley Lanman, chief creative officer of Draft’s New York office, died last week after battling cancer, the agency confirmed. She was 51.

Lanman, who was a copywriter by trade, had been CCO of the Interpublic Group agency for the past four years. She had also worked at Ammirati Puris Lintas and Ogilvy & Mather, both in New York.

“In a business where big egos are legendary, Shelley effectively challenged that stereotype simply by being herself,” wrote Draft president Laurence Boschetto and general manager Wendy Lurie in an internal memo. “She was the epitome of integrity, elegance and grace. And she handled every situation with aplomb and sensitivity.”

Lanman had won several awards, from the Addys and Clios to the Caples and the Echos. According to the agency, however, Lanman’s proudest moment was when her sons gave her a baseball cap to signify she was “one of the boys.”

Lanman is survived by her husband, Jonathan, and their sons, Adam, Ben and Nate.