Sander Flaum, an agency-world veteran admired as much for his humanity as for his strategic skill, died on Sunday following a brief illness.

Following his graduation from the Ohio State University (with a dual major in journalism and psychology) and military service, Flaum spent 18 years at Lederle Laboratories. During his Lederle tenure, he launched or restaged 80 products and rose to the role of director of marketing, head of vaccines and Rx products.

In 1988, Flaum transitioned successfully to the agency world at Euro RSCG Becker, ultimately serving as its chairman and CEO. Under his leadership, the agency worked for seven of the 10 biggest pharma companies at the time.

Later, he founded and led Flaum Idea Group and Flaum Navigators. He was a prolific writer and an in-demand public speaker, authoring several books and regular columns for MM+M and Med Ad News.

Last month, Flaum was announced as one of the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame’s 2023 honorees. His life and legacy will be celebrated at the organization’s 2023 induction ceremony, slated for February 9 at New York City’s Pierre Hotel.

A big part of that legacy is Flaum’s willingness to serve as a mentor. Many of these individuals now hold pharma and agency leadership roles.

“I first met Sander Flaum in 1985 as a lowly account executive while I was working  at a different NYC agency. Already a ‘mover and a shaker,’ Sander made time to mentor a young and impressionable account guy,” said AbelsonTaylor EVP, director of business development Jay Carter. “Amazingly, every time our paths crossed he remembered me, and was equally warm and kind. The thing that I shall miss most about him is his ability to find the right analogy to address an important issue… and to be a fearless advocate for a position. He will be missed.”

“Never content with just being good, Sander embodied the pursuit of greatness in all aspects of his life and career. And this pursuit carried him to success after success,” added Calcium founder and chairman Steven Michaelson. “Even more importantly, Sander’s passion for greatness changed the way the industry markets its brands and inspired legions of individuals to live and work according to similarly high standards. Both his achievements — and the people he’s mentored and inspired — stand as the amazing living legacy of a person who made excellence truly a way of life.”

In addition to his pharma and agency leadership roles, Flaum served as vice chair of the board of directors at the American Institute for Stuttering. He also served on the board of directors for The Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, The James Cancer Center at the OSU Medical Center and the Fordham University Graduate School of Business.

MM+M will publish a more detailed profile of Flaum in advance of his Medical Advertising Hall of Fame induction early next year.