• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, January 22, 2008

Zetelle Guerra, one of the grand dames of media buying until she retired in Florida, was killed after being struck by an unlicensed driver while crossing an intersection in Delray, FL. She was 71.

Guerra, known as Z, to her friends, clients and colleagues on Madison Avenue and among the broadcast sales reps who both feared and adored her, was a long-time top buyer at now defunct independent media buying agency The Mediators, ironically was visiting Delray temporarily and had her Florida home on the market and had relocated back to her home neighborhood in Jackson Heights, Queens, when the accident occurred, said long-time friend and former employer Dan Mulholland, president-CEO of TV syndication firm Delta Television Group.

"She was a media queen. She will be missed," said Mulholland, adding, "In her days in the 70s and 80s she was feared and respected by every rep in the business."

Mulholland said Guerra had recently relocated back to New York following a couple of heavy hurricane seasons in Florida, and was visiting Delray to look after the house she had on the market.

According to local newspaper reports, Guerra was struck last Thursday morning by a driver who had her licensed suspended due to a previous incident. She died Friday. A memorial service is planned soon for New York.