The name Clarence Lund probably doesn’t mean anything to most people in Fountain Hills today.
But, the retired nationally-known advertising executive was one of the most influential people in Fountain Hills in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
One of the newspapers I randomly picked out of the files for this history series was the May 31, 1995, edition. On Page 1A was a feature story about Clarence, who was being presented an award by the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce.
The award was called the Chamber’s “Community Service Award.” He received the award for his dynamic work with the Chamber during its first years of existence.
He and his wife, Helen, moved to Fountain Hills in 1975 after he retired as the senior vice president of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in Chicago. The agency was one of the most powerful and influential in the business during the last half of the 20th century.
He was the person responsible for the Dial deodorant soap slogan, “Do you use Dial? Don’t you wish everyone did!” He was also in charge of the multi-million dollar Kraft Food account for the Thompson agency.
The Lunds built a home on Glenbrook Boulevard, which at that time had very few houses along its route.
I first met the Lunds when they came to my office after moving here from Illinois. He erected a “monument” in his front yard -- a well-worn Illinois snow shovel immortalized in bronze.
He immediately became active in the young community‘s affairs.
He became a charter member of the newly-formed Chamber and became its self-appointed chairman of the Advertising and Tourism Committee. He served in that capacity from 1976 to 1980.
Keith McMahan, later a town councilman, who ran our community’s initial advertising agency, recalls how master developer McCulloch Properties Inc. instructed him to give the Chamber all the assistance and promotion and advertising that it needed.
He noted that he was practically “worked to death” on all the brochures, mailings and other promotions and advertising Lund needed for the Chamber.
One of Lund’s first projects was to do something about Fountain Hills not being mentioned on highway signs leading to the community. Lund met with Arizona Department of Transportation officials and with minimum delay, Fountain Hills directions soon appeared on the Beeline Highway, McDowell Road and Shea Boulevard.
Lund later served on the Chamber’s first economic development committee.
Once again, he went right to work on a new Chamber economic development brochure.
McMahan was once again called in by Lund to create a full-page ad that would run with ads submitted by other cities and towns for an Arizona special section. It would be inserted into select newspapers on the east coast and the Wall Street Journal.
The ad literally drew hundreds of responses from all over the United States -- more than the tiny Chamber staff could initially handle. Response mailings of brochures to most inquiries were eventually completed.
Lund was also instrumental in bringing the Great Fair to Fountain Hills.
He was the community’s “go-between” with the Valley’s Public Broadcasting System station, Channel 8. Periodically, they would have Fountain Hills nights with community residents manning the phones to raise operating funds for the station.
In the early 1980s, the station decided to hold an appreciation day for volunteers who had contributed their time to serve the station during the previous year.
It was called “8’s Great Sunday.” When the event outgrew its previous venue, Lund suggested Fountain Hills as a possible location.
MCO added the Phoenix Symphony as an attraction for the day. The Chamber volunteered to add a two-day art show and the clubs and organizations were contacted to supply additional food vendors.
Channel 8 turned the event over to the Chamber in the mid-1980s and the event became the “Fountain Hills Great Fair.”
In the 1980s, Lund became active in the turbulent world of local politics. He contributed his time to the committee investigating incorporation of our town.
In 1981, he served as president of The Club, a local men’s social club.
McMahan, in presenting the Chamber award to Lund, said, “It is fitting that we never forget the colorful, exciting pioneers who started it all for our community, residents who started it all for our community, residents who brought with them thousands of dollars’ worth of executive experience and expertise and gave it to us for free.”
And that’s why we have the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame today.
