DDB Worldwide president/CEO Ken Kaess passed away at home on Mar. 27 at the age of 51, after a six-month battle against cancer. Those who knew and worked with him say his legacy of empowerment and innovation will live on not only at DDB, but throughout advertising.

Kaess joined DDB in 1977 as an account executive, leaving advertising briefly in the late '80s to serve as VP, children's programming at New World Entertainment. Upon returning to DDB in 1990, his work ethic struck a chord with then-DDB Worldwide chairman/CEO Keith Reinhard, and he rose through the ranks to become DDB US president in 1997, after leading the LA and NY offices. The ascent continued - in 1998, Kaess was named North American president and in 1999, he became president of DDB Worldwide, and was named CEO in 2001.

In 1999, Frank Palmer, current chairman/CEO of DDB Canada, first met the man who would become his boss and friend in DDB's New York office. "It was one of those instances where you like someone right off the bat," recalls Palmer. "He took what he did seriously, but not himself."

It was part of Kaess' agenda to fully embrace and integrate new mediums for the message. "The company really diversified under him," says Palmer. "He was able to get everyone to empower the idea."

Kaess went on medical leave in late 2005, with operations at DDB being overseen by his exec committee. While Kaess' cancer treatments were working initially, he suffered a reversal earlier in March.

In early April, DDB Worldwide named Chuck Brymer as president/CEO, and chief creative officer Bob Scarpelli was named chairman, with Keith Reinhard becoming chairman emeritus. Palmer says Kaess leaves behind a leadership style - that of being "the coach and the trainer" - worth emulating. "He always asked for our input. He was never really one who felt it had to always be done his way."

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