As a teenager, he raised purebred Yorkshire hogs to finance his college education.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics, political science, and history in 1963 from Ohio State University.

Pfeifer owns a cattle farm in Crawford County, near his childhood home.

In 1990, Pfeifer ran for Ohio attorney general, losing to Democrat Lee Fisher by a narrow margin of just over 1,200 votes.

Pfeifer remained in that capacity until May 3, 2010, when Franklin County Probate Court Judge Eric Brown, who was appointed Chief Justice by Governor Ted Strickland, took office.