Barbara Zehender, 75, ad executive

Barbara Gottlieb Zehender, 75, of Philadelphia, a trailblazer for women in the field of advertising, died Thursday, Jan. 15, of an intestinal ailment at her Center City home.

Over three decades, Mrs. Zehender rose from clerk to partner and executive vice president at Dorland Global Health Communications in Philadelphia.

She was a single mother of two small children with a graduate degree in special education when she knocked on the door of Harry Sweeney, Dorland's president.

"I don't know anything about advertising," she told him. "But I'm smart, I'll do anything, and I really need a job."

The pitch worked. She began as an administrative assistant in the mid-1970s, became an account executive, and shortly afterward was a key executive working on the international rollout of Tagamet, an antacid that became a blockbuster.

Her career included frequent trips to Europe, Mexico, and Latin America. Her clients included a roster of big pharmaceutical companies.

As the ad agency grew, Mrs. Zehender's skill at mentoring younger executives led her to move into human resources. She was especially adept at coaching young women, many of whom have gone on to significant positions within the advertising and public relations industry, her family said.

As the head of human resources for Dorland, Mrs. Zehender was responsible for recruiting and helping build it from a small local company into a 150-person shop with offices in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Her efforts were rewarded when she was named a partner. Later, she played a critical role during the acquisition of Dorland in 2007 by Huntsworth Health of London. She retired in 2008.

During her time with Dorland, Mrs. Zehender was a board member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies' Philadelphia Branch and a member of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association.

In her spare time, Mrs. Zehender - pronounced Zen-der - was active with Turning Points for Children; the Friends of Rittenhouse Square Association; the Gladwyne Badminton Association; the Philadelphia Orchestra; and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

"She had a strong appreciation of nature and the arts, finding comfort in the sea and gardens," said her daughter, Lee. "She also had this incredible laugh and an appreciation for the absurd."

Her love for old buildings led her to buy a 1690 house in Gladwyne, which she renovated with the help of the local historical society. A longtime Lower Merion resident, Mrs. Zehender sold the house and moved to Center City in 2009.

Surviving, besides her daughter, are a son, Bill; three grandchildren; three sisters; and nieces and nephews. Her former husband, William Zehender, also survives.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, 242 S. 20th St. Burial is private.

Donations may be made to the Friends of Rittenhouse Square, 210 W. Rittenhouse Square, Box 1308, Philadelphia 19103, or Turning Points for Children, 415 S. 15th St., Philadelphia 19146.