• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, January 8, 2019

Long-time TV advertising sales executive Cynthia Perkins-Roberts died January 1. She was 54.

Perkins-Roberts, a leader in the industry’s multicultural marketing efforts, spent the past 25 years at the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) and its predecessor trade organization, the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (CAB), rose to vice president-multicultural marketing and sales development at the bureau. 

Earlier in her career, Perkins-Roberts held sales positions at Discovery Communications and Capital Cities/ABC.

“What made Cynthia so highly effective in marketing and advertising was her ability to thrive in the art of people immersion,” VAB CEO Sean Cunningham said in a statement, adding: “For every one of the multitudes of her professional accomplishments -- including many ‘firsts’ and victories -- there was always a wonderful backstory of connecting people and personalities to push through to a new high-water mark. Motivating people to break through barriers was always the fuel, and few people I’ve met could fuel a relationship like Cynthia did -- every time.”