Martin Janis

1926 - 2017

Martin Janis, 91, died peacefully in his sleep October 25, 2017. Janis was born April 3, 1926 in Buffalo, NY to the late S Leo and Mildred (Pohl) Janis. The family moved to Chicago in 1934. Janis graduated from Sullivan High School in 1943 and entered the University of Illinois at Champaign. In 1944 he enlisted in the US Navy, serving for two years. Upon his return to civilian life, he enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, where he graduated in 1950. After graduation he returned to Chicago and founded Martin E. Janis & Company, Inc., a public relations firm, when public relations was in its infancy. The firm grew to represent hundreds of blue chip companies, charitable organizations and political figures until Janis retired in 2014. His firm was a significant national PR operation heavily involved in financial, political, corporate and product marketing as well as the classical arts. The agency grew to include offices in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto in addition to the home office in Chicago. In 2016, Janis completed an autobiography, "My Life in Public Relations", as a tribute to his parents and an historical account of his life for his family. The book outlines many of the highlights of his more than 65-year career in the industry, including his work on the campaigns of Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush (George HW and George W) and the 2012 presidential campaign of Governor Romney. President Nixon appointed Janis to the role of special media consultant to the newly-formed White House Office of Communications, working under its first director Herb Klein. Janis is survived by his loving family including his five children: Elizabeth (Jeff) Rambach, Jim, Marty (Leslie), Bill and Mercedes; five grandchildren: Matthew (Katie) Upton, Stephanie Upton, Jordan Janis, Daryn Janis and Michael Janis; and two great grandchildren, Camille and Caleb Upton. Service Monday 11:30 a.m. in the chapel of Rosehill Cemetery Mausoleum, 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago 60660. Memorial contributions may be made to the 100 Club of Chicago (www.100clubchicago.org).