Barbara Way Hunter

Barbara Way Hunter, a pioneer in the public relations industry and beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, mentor and friend, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 18th at the age of 97 at her home in Walpole, New Hampshire.

Born in 1927 in Westport, New York, Mrs. Hunter’s remarkable career as a female leader in the communications industry spanned over five decades, blazing a trail for women on Madison Avenue and advocating for the power of women as both business leaders and important consumers.

Beginning her career in journalism with a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University (’49), Mrs. Hunter transitioned to the public relations field working for Sally Dickson Associates, one of the first women-founded firms in New York City. After a few years, she joined her sister Jean Schoonover at the premier Madison Avenue agency, Dudley-Anderson-Yutzy (D-A-Y), the oldest public relations firm in the United States. In the face of a leadership vacuum upon the founders’ retirement, the two women, affectionately known as the “Sister Act” in the industry, stepped in and acquired the firm in 1969, becoming the first women to buy, own and lead a major national public relations agency.

Already an established and well-respected professional, Mrs. Hunter used her new position as an industry leader to begin a long career of advocacy for women. Her first act as a principal of D-A-Y was the equalization of pay between men and women working at the firm. As a result of this unexpected action, all but two of the male agency leaders departed, taking their corporate clients with them. The sisters rebuilt the company by winning an impressive roster of clients, empahtically spotlighting the often overlooked but ever-growing purchasing power of women in the 1970s and 80s. They put food at the center of their practice, earning a loyal clientele of food and beverage brands, trade boards, tourism bureaus and dozens of household brand name companies. Mrs. Hunter’s unwavering focus on hard work, professional excellence and personal integrity ultimately grew the firm to become one of the most successful of its day.

Ogilvy & Mather purchased D-A-Y in 1983 naming Mrs. Hunter as Vice Chairwoman of the PR practice. In 1989 at the age of 62 and given the option to retire, Mrs. Hunter chose instead to reinvent her career yet again and founded the eponymous agency now known simply as HUNTER with TABASCO Brand Pepper Sauce as its first client. Ten years later, she chose to retire at the age of 72 and sold the agency to a small group of partners including current CEO, Grace Leong. The agency still bearing her name and still representing TABASCO Brand is now a leading communications agency with offices in New York, Los Angeles and London ranking among the top 50 globally and a part of Stagwell, Inc.

Upon her retirement, the Hunters moved from their New York City apartment of more than 40 years to Walpole, New Hampshire. The couple purchased a 1812 Georgian house with their daughter Victoria and her husband Matthias. Mrs. Hunter dedicated herself to restoring the home, and was an active member of many community organizations including her role as president of the Walpole Historical Society.

Among her many awards and leadership roles across her long career, Mrs. Hunter served as the president of the NY Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (1980); as a trustee of Cornell University (1980-85); and as the national president of the PRSA (1984). In 1993, she was recognized with a PRSA Gold Anvil Award for her lifetime of achievement. In 2023, HUNTER established the PRSA-NY Barbara W. Hunter Trailblazer Award to recognize other trailblazing women in the communications industry. Mrs. Hunter also served as a role model, mentor and inspiration to generations of communications professionals, leading by example with intelligence, grace, confidence and an irrepressible work ethic but also with kindness, empathy and a wry sense of humor.

Mrs. Hunter is survived by her daughters Kimberley W. Hunter of Washington, DC, and Victoria Gohl of Walpole, New Hampshire, her son-in-law Matthias Gohl of Walpole, New Hampshire and four grandchildren, Mara Zimmerman, Ezra Zimmerman, Samuel Gohl, and Hans Rudolf Gohl. She was preceded in death by her husband Austin F. Hunter (married in 1953), sister, Jean Way Schoonover and brother Walter D. Way.

A private service will be held by the family in Walpole, New Hampshire.

Donations and tributes in Mrs. Hunter’s name can be made to the PRSA Foundation, an organization that focuses on helping young professionals transition into the communications industry or the Museum of Public Relations, which is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the communications industry.