▁to ▁a ▁Jewish ▁family ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁B . A . ▁in ▁econom ics ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ' s ▁Wh art on ▁School . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁he ▁joined ▁The ▁next ▁year ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁R ig gs ▁Opt ical ▁Company , ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁B aus ch ▁& ▁Lomb , ▁in ▁Chicago ▁as ▁advert ising ▁manager . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Grey ▁Ad vert ising ▁Agency ▁( f ounded ▁by ▁Lawrence ▁Val en stein ▁and ▁Arthur ▁C . ▁F att ) ▁and ▁as ▁an ▁account ▁executive . ▁Grey ▁differenti ated ▁itself ▁from ▁its ▁compet itors ▁by ▁using ▁a ▁team ▁approach ▁to ▁advert ising ▁that ▁closely ▁worked ▁with ▁its ▁customers ▁and ▁conducted ▁extensive ▁market ing ▁research . ▁and ▁focused ▁on ▁developing ▁a ▁brand ▁through ▁pre - s elling ▁and ▁building ▁a ▁market ▁for ▁it . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁the ▁firm ▁was ▁b illing ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁per ▁year . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁after ▁winning ▁Gru en ▁watch ▁account , ▁bill ings ▁reached ▁$ 1 0 ▁million . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁after ▁winning ▁the ▁Block ▁D rug ▁account , ▁Grey ' s ▁bill ings ▁reached ▁$ 3 0 ▁million . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Val en stein ▁became ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board