The industry is mourning veteran agency producer Peter Ellers who passed away at home on Feb. 2 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 50.
Ellers rose from production assistant to head of production at Warwick Baker & Fiore, New York, before going freelance in 1995. Among his clients over the years were Amstel Light, AT&T, Taco Bell and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. His body of work included fare recognized at the ’01 Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) Show, namely ICast’s “Qbert,” which was honored in the graphics category. Ellers served as producer on the job for New York agency DiNoto Lee.
Former colleague Hal Goodtree, who is now executive producer at This Is TV, New York, noted that Ellers was both well respected and liked throughout the industry. The two worked together at Bozell, New York. Goodtree described Ellers as “a classy guy, low key, reasonable, humane,” traits that were exhibited throughout both his life and 20-year industry career.
Ellers is survived by, among others, his wife, Pam Sommers, his parents Elaine and James Ellers, and sister Penny Ellers-Britton. A memorial service was held on Feb. 26 at Brotherhood Synagogue, New York.
In lieu of flowers, Eller’s family has suggested two places where donations could be made in his memory: the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Brain Tumor Research Fund or to the National Brain Tumor Foundation. The latter’s email address is www.braintumor.org. Donations to the MSKCC Brain Tumor Research Fund can be sent there c/o Lauren E. Abbey, M.D., 1275 York Avenue C725, New York, NY 10021.
