William "Bill" Whitney, Jr.

William (Bill) Elliot Whitney, Jr, an advertising executive who co-founded Ogilvy & Mather’s Chicago office in 1976, passed away peacefully on March 20th. He was 93.

Bill grew up an only child in Kingston, New York and graduated from Amherst College and Harvard Business School.  He spent the bulk of his career at Ogilvy, first in New York and then Chicago.  After he retired, the agency created the Bill Whitney award to recognize annually the individual at Ogilvy & Mather Chicago displaying the highest standards of professionalism combined with civility.

The three office co-founders of Ogilvy in Chicago – Whitney, Henry Bernhard and Joel Raphaelson – are credited for its success in Chicago, something that had eluded other New York-based agencies who sought to open an office in the Midwest hub. Together, they built a portfolio of national and regional clients and served them with a blend of Chicago hires as well as those who had moved from New York. The office thrives today.

After he retired from Ogilvy, Bill served as an adjunct professor of marketing at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and provided consulting services to nonprofit leaders through the Executive Service Corps (ESC).  He also served as President of Hinsdale Village and was a long-time director and supporter of the Off the Street Club in Chicago.

Bill had a dry and self-deprecating sense of humor, cared deeply about his family and the communities where he lived and worked (Chicago, Hinsdale, and Plymouth Place), built lasting, meaningful friendships over the course of his life, and was an avid fan of all things Amherst College.  His kindness and gentle demeanor were appreciated by those closest to him as well as by those he only met briefly.

Bill and Nancy, his beloved wife of 58 years who died in 2016, had three children, Susan (Norman), Jim (Anne) and Doug (Dina).  He is survived by them and their four grandchildren (Elena, Dylan, Elliot and Jasper).

Bill and Nancy were long-time members of the Union Church of Hinsdale.   A private family service will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bill’s honor can be made to the Off the Street Club.

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