Forty Years of "Unsung Heroes": #6

If you've been following this series of posts you'll know that as I head towards stage left, after 40 years in Adland, I want to share with you the memories of, and thanks to, some of the people in this marvellous industry that are not widely acknowledged. The quiet powerhouses, support systems, agents of delivery or just, you know, nice people and, well, my friends.

Kay Henderson was my Secretary/PA/Junior Account Executive at The Leith Agency for several years in the late 80's and early 90's. I've had many great secretaries and PA's over the years, although none for the best part of 30 years, maybe more.

Kay was that special breed that approached everything they do with an innocent joy that made all around her delight.

Hailing from Haddington she brought a degree of small town naivety to work each day and a willingness to please that was rare.

The problem is, I was her boss and the team included Mike Donoghue (who featured earlier in my heroes) and the one and only Mary Shepherd. This was a team of ne'er do well winder uppers and pissheads that I'm honestly amazed that Kay could tolerate, never mind adore, but it was mutual.

Kay's administrative skills are forensic, her work ethic impeccable and her ability to look after us was remarkable.

Our team was anarchic and Kay was the ballast that kept the ship afloat. It wasn't that we had no responsibilities: we were running the Leith Agency's biggest account at that time, Clydesdale Bank, with me, a 29 year old account director at the helm, clueless. Thank God John Denholm had the sense to keep his hand in. Then there was Leith's first ever drinks client, Bass Ale, in Belfast, that opened the door for our succesful Tennent's Lager pitch. Lastly (of the big ones) was Northern Electric, a huge power company in the North East with an amazing client that let me/us spend ￡700,000 on a series of (brilliant) commercials when the budget was ￡200,000 (this was nearly 40 years ago remember, so that was a biggy.)

Kay took it all in her stride. The desktop swimming (a Mary speciality). The almost incomprehensible class divides - Mary was the poshest girl in Scotland, me and Mike were-wee schemies and Kay, as stated, a quiet small town girl.

The wind ups were intolerable and endless. The favourite of which involved Mike phoning Kay after a night out in Newcastle (Northern Electric) to tell her that I had been incarcerated in the Jail for drunkedness (this was not the only time in my career that I tried this ruse). Kay was literally crying for her poor boss while we were crying with laughter at her complete belief that I could be that bad, that unprofessional.

Kay, you were the biggest heart in a room full of big hearts. Let's meet soon.