Joseph Rodney Lawrence, leader in beauty products marketing, dies at 59

(May 15, 2007) Segmented Marketing Services, Inc. (SMSi) announced the passing of Joseph Rodney Lawrence, SMSi executive vice president and Urban Call publications associate publisher.  After a very brief illness, Mr. Lawrence, 59-years-old, passed on May 10 at his home in Kernersville, N.C. following a short stay at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, and 13-year-old son, Christopher, and adult children Krystyn Johnson, Marshall Wade and Harold Johnson; a sister, Sharon Julian, and brothers, Dillard Lawrence and Brandon Burt; four grandchildren (Ariana, Akira, Elijah and Lofton).

JRL, as he was known in business shorthand, was a beloved business partner and company leader, dedicated father and devoted husband, a kind, thoughtful and gentle soul, a faithful member of St. Peter's World Outreach and a deep believer in the goodness of his God.
 
A native of Chicago, Lawrence studied business administration at the University of Illinois's Chicago Circle campus and moved from Chicago to Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1990 to join SMSi as a partner. Lawrence has worked with well-known minority-owned companies including Johnson Products, Johnson Publishing, and Soft Sheen Products, as well as mainstream companies such as McDonald's and Sears, Roebuck. He has also made career marks in general market advertising firms, including Leo Burnett where he worked as media buyer and planner, and Bozell and Jacobs where he was an account  supervisor.

At McDonald's, Lawrence was the first African-American regional advertising manager in the history of the company. He was responsible for the development and implementation of marketing and promotional strategies for 300 stores in a four-state region and $200 million of sales in the nationwide rollout.
 
Lawrence has left a lasting impression in the $5 billion multicultural beauty business, where he served in various executive capacities: promotion and advertising manager at Johnson products (Gentle Treatment, Ultra Sheen and other brands), marketing director for Supreme Beauty Products, the hair care subsidiary of Johnson Publishing Company (Ebony, Jet, and Fashion Fair cosmetics); promotion director for Soft-Sheen Products; and business director for the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI), the trade association of  minority-owned hair and beauty care companies which display the Proud Lady silhouette of a black woman on products and advertising.  Lawrence's 30 years experience in marketing, advertising and promotion served him well in meeting the challenges of SMSi's Fortune 50 clients.
 
Celebration of Life Services will be held Wednesday, May 16 at the St. Peter's Church and World Outreach Center, 3683 Old Lexington Road, Winston-Salem, NC with Bishop James C. Hash officiating. The family visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. with services immediately following at 2 pm.  Entombment will follow in Piedmont Memorial Gardens. 

In lieu of flowers and other commemorations, the family asks that memorials be made to a scholarship fund for his son Christopher Rodney Lawrence. Checks should be made payable to the Joseph Rodney Lawrence Scholarship Fund and mailed to the Truliant Federal Credit Union, Victory Member Financial Center, 889 North Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, N.C.  27101. Online condolences may be made at www.russellfuneralservice.com.



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