The David I. Levy Award:
Al Klenk, Quinlan & Company

Background and Early Years

> Al Klenk was born in the Lovejoy district of Buffalo, 1935.

> Graduated from Orchard Park High School, 1953.

> Scholarship to Syracuse University, graduated in 1957.

> Served in the USAF Reserves as 914th Troop Carrier Group, Information Services Officer, and recalled to active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Agencies Founded and Inspired by Al Klenk – 1960s through 2010s

> Joined, then advertising manager of the Iroquois Brewery, Nick Schwab, and recreated the legendary “Three Little Indians” Iroquois print campaign. In 1960 with Schwab, formed SK Associates which provided advertising services to many national firms in the beverage industry at that time.

> Co-founded Stahlka, Faller & Klenk Advertising, 1967, which later became Faller, Klenk & Quinlan, 1976 — the leading advertising agency in WNY during the 1970s and 1980s.

> Founded The Partnership, Ltd., 1987 and served as Chairman, President, CEO and Creative Director during his 20+ years there.

> Recently joined Quinlan & Company as Senior Vice President and currently works a full week providing creative, media and account service expertise for clients such as Northwest Savings Bank, the Niagara Frontier Auto Dealers and the Buffalo Auto Show.

> At age 75, after more than 50 years in the Western New York advertising community, Al has shown no signs of slowing down. Instead, he continually offers a fresh perspective and brings fresh ideas to the table.

National, Regional, and Local Awards Spanning Five Decades

> Won three Gold Effies from the American Marketing Association

> Honored as “Outstanding Ad Man of the Year” by the American Advertising Federation

> Numerous ADDY’s and Gold Medals from the Art Director’s Club and Professional Communicator’s Association

> Numerous Admark Awards from the National-American Wholesale Grocers’ Association

> Numerous Buffalo News Advertising Awards

Famous Collaborations and Partnerships

> Collaborated with such pros as the late Ted Knight and Orson Welles

> Conceived and produced the late Ed McMahon’s first and only singing commercial

> Conceived and produced one of Barbara Walter’s last commercials on the old “Today Show”

> Key advisor on several congressional campaigns for former Congressman Jack Kemp and involved in winning campaigns at the Congressional, state senate, state assembly, county, and local levels

> Al reintroduced the long-absent Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus to the Niagara Frontier by staging an opening day elephant walk across the Rainbow Bridge from Niagara Falls, NY to its sister city in Ontario, Canada. International press covered the occasion on television and in numerous newspapers across the continent.

50+ Years of Community Involvement

Al has been active in a number of volunteer communications programs including:

> United Way (producer of communications programs)

> SPCA (designed their famous dog and cat heart logo)

> People, Inc.

> Better Business Bureau (received the first “Ron Offhaus Award” for major innovative contributions in Bureau restructuring)

> The Canadian Consulate General (“A Salute to the Forts”)

> USS Buffalo Nuclear Submarine

> Camp Good Days & Special Times

> Food Bank of WNY

> The Clarkson Center Culinary Arts Institute