Kenneth Mayhorne

Kenneth Mayhorne, Advertising Executive

Kenneth Emory Mayhorne, retired Advertising Executive, died on Tuesday. He was 89 years old.

The longtime Lutherville resident retired in 1992 as President and CEO from advertising agency Gray Kirk VanSant, formerly VanSant Dugdale, where he had been employed since the age of 18.

In 1949, he graduated from Baltimore City College and immediately went to work in the mailroom of VanSant Dugdale. During his 44-year career at VanSant Dugdale, he held many positions, culminating as President and CEO in 1985. As CEO, he personally supervised the four largest agency accounts: USF&G Insurance, Martin Marietta, CoreStates Financial, and Giant Foods. During his career, he had experiences ranging from shooting commercials with Roy Rogers at his ranch in California to guiding USG&G Insurance in becoming one of the first major corporate title sponsors of college football bowl games in 1989, the USF&G Sugar Bowl, held in New Orleans. This dynamic spurred the rapid growth of college bowl games moving forward.

In the latter part of his career and in his retirement, he enjoyed playing golf at Baltimore Country Club and traveling with his wife and close friends to Europe. He had always spent considerable time with his family, and was a "hands-on" grandparent known as "Kenny" to his grandsons.

Born in northeast Baltimore, Mr. Mayhorne served three years in the US Army Security Agency and was stationed in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.

At Mr. Mayhorne's request, there will be no formal services.

He is survived by his wife, the former Verna Mary Schlutter, whom he married in 1957; two daughters, Stacy L. Mayhorne of Malvern, PA and Marcy M. Voelker of Timonium, MD; a son, Joshua R. Mayhorne of Lutherville, MD; and five grandsons. Also surviving are his sister, Irene McAree of Baltimore, MD; and a brother, William Mayhorne of Baltimore, MD. He is predeceased by his brothers Eugene Mayhorne and Davis Mayhorne, both of Baltimore, MD.