Cathey M. Finlon
Cathey McClain Finlon is most widely recognized as a highly successful woman business owner and her tremendous contributions to the Denver community. She has nearly three decades of experience in marketing and advertising. She joined Kuper Advertising in 1985 as a minority partner. Finlon purchased the agency outright in 1988 and moved it to Denver under the name McClain Finlon. In 2007, its 25th year, the agency reached a size ranking in the top 100 advertising agencies in America. The agency became known for the best and brightest personnel working for the top national clientele. Leading the way as one of the few woman-owned advertising agencies in the U.S., McClain Finlon steadily attracted clients including Xcel Energy, Johns Manville, Head Sports, Colorado resorts like Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail and Crested Butte, tech companies like Sun MicroSystems, JD Edwards and big brands like Western Union, Dell, Qwest and Dex.
As a measure of Finlon’s commitment to community, McClain Finlon donated its services to many non-profit organizations including the Denver Art Museum, Dumb Friends League, Colorado Outward Bound School, Junior Achievement, Special Olympics, Denver Scholarship Foundation, Wish for Wheels and Steppin’ Out for Kids. McClain Finlon donated about $3 million dollars of advertising and marketing services to the Denver Zoo, which included the development of their logo.
Finlon was an early supporter of the revitalization of lower downtown Denver, purchasing two properties home to the agency, one in LoDo and one in the Ballpark Neighborhood. McClain Finlon is recognized for creating the Ballpark Neighborhood Security Newsletter to work with the District 6 police, business and property owners and city council to assure improvements in the district. The Ballpark Neighborhood property at 2340 Blake Street received the Community Preservation Award from the Denver Historical Commission at the same time that the agency was received the Inc. Inner City 100 award.
Finlon serves on many boards of directors, including the prestigious American Association of Advertising Agencies, The Children’s Hospital, Denver Art Museum, Denver Public Schools Foundation and the advisory board of the University of Denver Daniels College of Business and Colorado Economics Future Panel. She has also served as past chair of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce as well as Junior Achievement. Other board appointments include Colorado Outward Bound School, National Repertory Orchestra, Alliance for Contemporary Art, World Trade Center and past chair of the Denver Advertising Federation.
In addition, she has served on two elite think tanks at University of Denver, which have recently studied the economic policies of Colorado and the state’s constitution.
Finlon has been honored with many awards and much recognition. A few include AdWeek’s and AdAge Top 100 U.S. Agencies in 2007; BtoB Magazine, Top 100 Most Influential Business to Business leaders in America; Denver Advertising Federation, Lifetime Achievement Award, Professional of the Year; ColoradoBiz Magazine’s 2007 Top Professional Services Company; ranked No. 2 in ColoradoBiz Magazine 2005-2007 Top 100 Woman-Owned companies; Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business winner in 2006; a Girl Scouts’ Woman of Distinction; and more than 450 creative and marketing awards, including five Clios.
Finlon has been married to Dick more than 30 years. They share a passion for traveling, fitness and cycling and have cycled throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S. Finlon has climbed 26 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. Cathey McClain Finlon was born February 24, 1946 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio and received her master’s degree in English from Penn State, in her home town.
As a measure of Finlon’s commitment to community, McClain Finlon donated its services to many non-profit organizations including the Denver Art Museum, Dumb Friends League, Colorado Outward Bound School, Junior Achievement, Special Olympics, Denver Scholarship Foundation, Wish for Wheels and Steppin’ Out for Kids. McClain Finlon donated about $3 million dollars of advertising and marketing services to the Denver Zoo, which included the development of their logo.
Finlon was an early supporter of the revitalization of lower downtown Denver, purchasing two properties home to the agency, one in LoDo and one in the Ballpark Neighborhood. McClain Finlon is recognized for creating the Ballpark Neighborhood Security Newsletter to work with the District 6 police, business and property owners and city council to assure improvements in the district. The Ballpark Neighborhood property at 2340 Blake Street received the Community Preservation Award from the Denver Historical Commission at the same time that the agency was received the Inc. Inner City 100 award.
Finlon serves on many boards of directors, including the prestigious American Association of Advertising Agencies, The Children’s Hospital, Denver Art Museum, Denver Public Schools Foundation and the advisory board of the University of Denver Daniels College of Business and Colorado Economics Future Panel. She has also served as past chair of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce as well as Junior Achievement. Other board appointments include Colorado Outward Bound School, National Repertory Orchestra, Alliance for Contemporary Art, World Trade Center and past chair of the Denver Advertising Federation.
In addition, she has served on two elite think tanks at University of Denver, which have recently studied the economic policies of Colorado and the state’s constitution.
Finlon has been honored with many awards and much recognition. A few include AdWeek’s and AdAge Top 100 U.S. Agencies in 2007; BtoB Magazine, Top 100 Most Influential Business to Business leaders in America; Denver Advertising Federation, Lifetime Achievement Award, Professional of the Year; ColoradoBiz Magazine’s 2007 Top Professional Services Company; ranked No. 2 in ColoradoBiz Magazine 2005-2007 Top 100 Woman-Owned companies; Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business winner in 2006; a Girl Scouts’ Woman of Distinction; and more than 450 creative and marketing awards, including five Clios.
Finlon has been married to Dick more than 30 years. They share a passion for traveling, fitness and cycling and have cycled throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S. Finlon has climbed 26 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. Cathey McClain Finlon was born February 24, 1946 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio and received her master’s degree in English from Penn State, in her home town.
