Joseph Lawrence Mailman was an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. Mailman was born in

Utica, New York Utica () is a Administrative divisions of New York, city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The List of cities in New York, tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 ...

, the son of

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

immigrants, and attended

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

. Along with his brother Abraham Mailman, Joseph founded the Utica Knife and Razor Company in 1920, which was later incorporated into the Mailman Corporation and was one of the first conglomerates to have been formed. He and his brother founded the Persona Blade Company in 1928, the British Rubber Company in 1934, and was chairman of Air Express International. In addition to his successful business career, he engaged in numerous philanthropic pursuits, especially health and education causes. He was a leading fundraiser for the

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies UJA-Federation of New York (United Jewish Appeal⁣ – ⁣ Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, Inc.) is the largest local philanthropy in the world. Headquartered in New York City, the organization raises and allocates funds annuall ...

. He also assisted families escaping horrors of Nazi Germany. With his brother, he established the

Mailman Foundation A mail carrier, mailman, mailwoman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman, or letter carrier (in American English), sometimes colloquially known as a postie (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom), is an employee of a post ...

in 1943, which continues his charitable work. In recognition of a 33-million-dollar gift from the foundation, the School of Public Health at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

was named the

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health The Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health is the public health graduate school of Columbia University. Located on the Columbia University Medical Center campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, the school ...

in his honor. Mr. Mailman died of lymphoma on July 9, 1990 at his home in Manhattan the age of 88.

References

American philanthropists American people of Jewish descent 1900s births 1990 deaths Syracuse University alumni Businesspeople from Utica, New York Year of birth uncertain {{Philanthropist-stub

See also

References