Al Schaefer, the founder of Valley Forge-based Schaefer Advertising, one of the top marketing firms in the region in the 1970s and 1980s, has died at the age of 86, writes Robert Moran for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Schaefer Advertising specialized in business-to-business advertising, and had billings of $20 million in 1984. A year later, Schaefer merged it with a larger firm. The agency had won a number of awards, including Clio, the advertising industry’s version of the Oscar.

Schaefer graduated from The Episcopal Academy before attending Penn and graduating from the Wharton School in 1954. He worked at Procter & Gamble before launching Schaefer Advertising.

Schaefer was also an avid sailor and a fan of European sports cars, particularly Ferraris.

“Al loved fast cars,” said William Kozel, Schaefer’s former colleague.

His sister, Gretchen L. Jackson, is renowned for breeding and co-owning Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner from Chester County.

Read more about Al Schaefer in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.

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