Founder of Detroit Firm Marx Layne Dies at 67

Frederick Marx, or Fred, founder of the Detroit PR firm Marx Layne died of a heart attack over the weekend. He was 67.

Marx started his own firm in 1987 after 20 years on the internal side, to service clients in automotive, retail and professional services. He opened shop when his then employer Dayton Hudson–now operating as Target–moved its headquarters to Minneapolis.

In one article about Marx’s passing, Sheldon Toll, a retired partner of Marx Layne client Honigman Miller LLP described him as the unofficial mayor of metro Detroit.

Marx’s firm was recently sued for using Twitter to squat, impersonate and defame a newer, rival firm founded by a former employee.

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