Jay Carter, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of leading healthcare agency AbelsonTaylor, has been named Industry Person of the Year for 2022 by the editors of Med Ad News. He received the honor on April 21 at the 33rd Annual Manny Awards in New York City, the Oscars of the pharmaceutical marketing industry.
“Carter has been a visionary leader in the industry for almost 38 years, most notably as the catalyst for AbelsonTaylor’s evolution from a 28-person shop in 1988 to one of the largest and most creative independent healthcare agencies in the world today,” Med Ad News wrote when announcing Carter’s selection for the prestigious honor.
Jeff Berg, president of AbelsonTaylor, describes the award as a well-deserved tribute to Carter’s significant professional contributions, both to the agency and the industry at large. “Jay has an uncanny ability to see ways of bringing extra value to healthcare brands and campaigns, especially value for patients,” he said. “He’s also committed to elevating and championing healthcare marketing universally, which benefits the whole industry.”
“I’m thankful to Med Ad News for this honor,” Carter said. “I’ve long respected the publication and admired its editors for the insightful news and perspective they provide on the issues affecting our business. I’m also thankful to my brilliant, talented, and selfless AbelsonTaylor work family, our bold and brave clients, my colleagues throughout the industry, and my wife Rhonda. Collectively, they inspire, sustain and shape everything I do in my work life.
A Long Record of Achievement at AbelsonTaylor
Carter joined AbelsonTaylor in 1988 as an account supervisor, quickly rising through the ranks and contributing to the agency’s business growth and reputation for creative excellence. He has worked on some of the most successful campaigns in medical advertising history and provided senior counsel on a wide range of breakthrough products, including several major biologics for cancer treatment.
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Building on his strong management skills, Carter has played key leadership roles at AbelsonTaylor in client services, business development, and strategy. In addition to his current responsibilities as chief strategy officer, he is also an agency shareholder, executive committee member, and part of the senior leadership team that guides the agency on business and policy issues.
Externally, as a board member and past chair of the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame, Carter has helped preserve and honor the history of medical advertising and encourage new medical advertising talent. As a board member and current chair of the Coalition for Healthcare Communication, he helps promote accuracy and access when educating healthcare providers and patients about pharma products.
Carter earned an MBA with honors from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business and a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Michigan.
In April 2018, he became the first advertising executive to receive the Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. Established in 1976 to honor alumni who have made significant lifetime contributions to their professions, he was recognized for his professional achievements in healthcare advertising, expansion of career opportunities for pharmacists, and commitment to mentoring future leaders.
Congratulations Jay on this significant honor!
