Anne Wexler, founder of Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates, one of Washington’s top lobbying firms, died of cancer Friday, according to a statement released by the firm. She was 79.According to the firm’s Web site, Wexler founded the company on Jan. 21, 1981, “the day after Ronald Reagan entered the White House.—Last year, Wexler & Walker reported $7.8 million in lobbying income, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.Wexler was an appointee in the administration of President Jimmy Carter and had been an adviser to top Democrats ever since, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.Wexler was one of the first women to launch her own lobbying practice and was seen as a pioneer for women in the field.“Today is a sad day for all of us who had the good fortune to know and work with Anne,— said former Rep. Bob Walker (R-Pa.), the firm’s chairman. “She was a tireless public servant, a role model for so many, and a dedicated advocate on numerous important issues of our time. … Her mark on the industry is, and will remain, indelible. —