Ink Company Founder Gans, 88, Passes

LOS ANGELES--Robert Gans, 88, an old-school entrepreneur and showman who used hard work, wit and celebrities to hawk his company’s line of inks, passed away last Friday after a brief battle with cancer.

Mr. Gans founded Gans Ink in 1950, which has grown to a $25 million a year business. Although he had not been involved in day-to-day activities since the early 1990s, Mr. Gans still phoned in or dropped by the office to see how things were going, according to Gans Ink President Jeff Koppelman.

“Bob certainly was an icon in this industry,” Koppelman said. “His marketing techniques were legendary and he truly was an entrepreneur, and ran his company as such.”

Among the marketing techniques Mr. Gans used, perhaps the best known print ads came courtesy of his relationship with iconic model and actress, Jayne Mansfield. The two forged a close relationship prior to her death in 1967.

Mr. Gans is survived by three daughters and seven grandchildren.