REMEMBERING KAY LAUTMAN

It is with sorrow that we announce the passing of Kay Lautman, founder of Lautman & Company. She died at the age of 74 on Monday July 9th, after suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease for the last few years.

Kay retired from Lautman & Company in July 2007 after an incredibly robust career. She received virtually every accolade in the industry and won dozens of awards for her creative direct mail packages. Kay was proudest of the fact that during the course of her career, she raised millions of dollars to build some of the most beloved museums and monuments in our nation’s capital. These include the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, the Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism and the National Museum of the Marine Corps. She wrote two books on direct mail fundraising. Her contributions to the field of direct response fundraising are legend.

In addition to being a giant in the industry, Kay was a mentor and friend. Her leadership, creativity and dedication to helping the nonprofit causes she championed inspired many of our members. We are grateful to have known this wonderful woman – our lives are infinitely richer for it.