• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, June 3, 2008

Kathy Crawford, the well-respected and sometimes outspoken local buying chief at MindShare, will step down at the end of the month.

The retiring (sort of) Crawford has been president of local broadcast for MindShare's North American operations since 2003, when she joined the agency.

She has recently been an advocate for the business' need for technological advancements that would allow the buying and selling process to move from its paper-based legacy to an automated future, supporting the TVB's efforts in that arena. As she leaves MindShare, Crawford will continue to work with GroupM CEO Irwin Gotlieb and a AAAA's initiative to upgrade the local buying process.

"It's difficult to overstate the many contributions Kathy has made over the years, not only to our company but also to our entire business," said MindShare North America CEO Scott Neslund.

He said "her candor, wit and her unceasing professionalism will be deeply missed." Indeed, during the countless industry panels she sat on, her affection for the local broadcast business--even though it endured some rocky times recently--was palpable.

She began her career in the rep business before moving to sales at Washington's WTTG. Later, she moved to Los Angeles and served at then-Western International Media (now Initiative) as a broadcast supervisor for seven years.

Crawford left to return to the rep business, before rejoining Western in 1987. In 1998, she was back in L.A. and at Western, before moving to MindShare.