Ron Rogers, an influential PR executive who served as founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based The Rogers Group, died Friday at the age of 72.

Ron RogersRon Rogers

The L.A. Times yesterday reported that the cause of death was “respiratory complications related to cancer.” Rogers died at his family’s 1,500-acre cattle ranch in Colorado.

Rogers was born Sept. 19, 1943, in Los Angeles. The son of PR visionary Henry Rogers — co-founder of iconic entertainment agency Rogers & Cowan — Ron established his own shop, Rogers & Associates, in 1978, which came to specialize in consumer, public affairs, entertainment and crisis management. The company was later renamed The Rogers Group, and grew to become one of Los Angeles' largest PR shops. The Rogers Group’s clients included Coca-Cola, Honda, Kellogg's, Raytheon, the Port of Los Angeles, and the California Department of Health Services.

Rogers later stated that his goal in forming an agency was “to build a company with an exceptional commitment to community building and diversity, and to attract employees who cared deeply about both client-service and contributing to the greater good.” Indeed, Rogers was influential in matters of L.A.-area civic affairs, and was a board member of the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rape Treatment Center at UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital, and a founding board member of the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research. He also helped launch the Los Angeles Police Foundation, as well as the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

Ruder Finn acquired The Rogers Group in 2011, and merged the agency with Ruder Finn's west coast operations. Rogers assumed the role of president of newly-minted Rogers Ruder Finn, and also served as strategic counsel to the firm nationwide. The office became part of Finn Partners with the official split of Finn Partners from Ruder Finn in December 2011 and continues today under the leadership of Finn Partners west coast managing partner, Howard Solomon.

“Though I only knew Ron for the past six years, I feel as if I knew him forever and will always consider him a great friend," said Finn Partners founding managing partner Peter Finn in a statement. "There’s so much one could say about Ron, but what distinguished him most is that he was a true gentleman and one of the more honorable individuals I have ever met. All of us at Finn Partners will miss Ron, and we deeply mourn his passing.”