Lawrence M. Gelb (January 15, 1898 – September 27, 1980Lawrence M. Gelb Foundation) was an American

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

and businessman from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

who along with his wife, Joan Clair, founded the

Clairol Clairol is the American personal care-product division of company Wella, specializing in hair coloring and hair care. Clairol was founded in 1931 by Americans Joan Gelb and her husband Lawrence M. Gelb, with business partner and lifelong friend ...

hair-coloring company in 1931, now a division of Coty. Their sons Richard L. Gelb and

Bruce Gelb Bruce Stuart Gelb (born February 24, 1927) is an American businessman and diplomat. He is the retired president of Clairol and former vice chairman of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Early life and education Gelb was born in New York City on February 24, ...

, have each held executive positions at pharmaceutical company

Bristol-Myers Squibb The Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS) is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in New York City, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and consistently ranks on the ''Fortune'' 500 list of the lar ...

, which purchased

in 1957. His legacy, the Lawrence M. Gelb Foundation, provides grants to worthy causes.

References

External links

Clairol.com

by Theresa Pease,

Phillips Academy ("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness , address = 180 Main Street , city = Andover , state = Ma ...

(Andover) 1898 births 1980 deaths 20th-century American biochemists 20th-century American businesspeople American cosmetics businesspeople 20th-century American Jews Gelb family {{US-business-bio-1890s-stub