Mike Hughes, The Martin Agency’s longest-serving creative director and its president since 1995, passed away today in his Richmond home after a long and valiant fight against lung cancer.
“Mike was my friend and business partner for 35 years,” said John Adams, chairman of The Martin Agency. “He was sent home in January with two weeks to live but rejected that prognosis in favor of his own timetable. Mike helped build the creative reputation of The Martin Agency and we will miss him terribly. And while Mike would understand our grieving, he would be impatient with it, preferring that we celebrate life instead rather than mourn death.”
A graduate of Washington and Lee University, Hughes landed his first job, which was as reporter for the Richmond News Leader. Hughes joined The Martin Agency in 1978 as a writer and went on to serve as creative director for three decades and president for 18 years.
Hughes was one of The Wall Street Journal’s recognized creative leaders and a member of the One Club’s Creative Hall of Fame and the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. He will also be inducted to the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Fame on April 7, 2014. In 2000, the Virginia General Assembly named him an Outstanding Industrialist alongside his long-time business partner Adams. Hughes was the founding board chairman of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Brandcenter, which honored him by naming the Brandcenter building “Mike Hughes Hall” and awarding him a Doctor of Humane Letters, the university’s highest honor.
A lifelong non-smoker, Hughes documented his thoughts about living and dying on his blog, unfinishedthinking.com, which is followed by hundreds around the globe.
Hughes and his wife of 38 years, Ginny, had two sons, Preston (deceased) and Jason.
