'Please Don't Squeeze the Charmin' creator dies

I don't expect anyone to know the name, but John Chervokas, who as a young advertising agency ad man was the one who coined the super-successful 'Please Don't Squeeze the Charmin' commercial campaign for Procter & Gamble has died at the age of 74.

An advertising campaign slogan that became a part of our American Popular Culture was the brainchild of John Chervokas while he was employed at Benton & Bowles, an advertising agency affiliated with Procter & Gamble.

After a successful advertising career, the Massachusetts native became involved in suburban New York community life, first serving on the Ossining Union Free School District School Board, and then, went on to win six consecutive two-year terms as Ossining Town Supervisor from 1998-2008. Six weeks after starting his sixth term, Chervokas stunned the local community with his resignation after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

He died of a stroke on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at NY Presbyterian Hospital.

It was my pleasure to know this highly intelligent man. We served together on the Greater Ossining Volunteer Network. I served as Secretary and later, Chairman. I also served as Chervokas' cameramen for his public access television show 'Better Ways, Better Days.'

Although not known to the outside world, John Chervokas, like the creator of the Barbie doll, Elliott Handler, who died last week, made their marks on American Popular Culture in the last half of the 20th century.