Cathey joined Kuper Advertising in 1985 as a minority partner, and then purchased the Boulder agency in 1988 and moved it to Denver with a new name, McClain Finlon. Cathey retired as CEO/owner of McClain Finlon Advertising, having achieved national ranking as one of the top advertising agencies in the U.S. and consistently ranked as a top woman-owned business. She then served as President of the Denver Art Museum during an important transition period and continues to serve on the museum’s board.
A trailblazing community leader, Cathey has chaired the boards of multiple large nonprofit organizations including Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Rocky Mountain Junior Achievement, Denver Scholarship Foundation, History Colorado, and Denver Advertising Federation. Her past board service also includes Gates Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Denver Public Schools Foundation, University of Denver Daniels College of Business, National Repertory Orchestra and the American Association of Advertising Agencies. Cathey was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and has received lifetime achievement recognition from Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, Denver Advertising Federation, and the Denver Art Museum. One of her proudest moments was to chair the Colorado Women’s Vote Centennial Commission to commemorate women’s right to vote in the U.S.
