Morton Leon Mandel (September 19, 1921 – October 16, 2019) was an American
business magnate
A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...
, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Along with his two brothers, Jack and Joe, he founded the
Premier Automotive Supply Company in 1940, which later became one of the world's leading industrial parts and electronic components distributors. His philanthropic activities in Cleveland, and in Jewish and Israeli institutions, were via the Mandel Foundation.
Mandel received a bachelor's degree and eleven honorary doctorates.
Biography
Morton Mandel was born to a
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 ...
family in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio. His mother, Rose, along with his older siblings, Meriam Ellen (died June 10, 2010 age 100, nine days before age 101), Jack N. (died May 12, 2011 age 99), and Joseph C. (died March 22, 2016 age 102), immigrated from
Galicia to the United States on June 19, 1920, with the help of the
Red Cross
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
. Morton's father, Simon, had already immigrated from Nowy Sancz, Poland (near
Krakow) to the United States in 1913, planning to bring his family once he became established in Ohio.
Morton was born 15 months after his mother's immigration, in Cleveland, where his parents ran a dry goods shop. The family then moved several times because they could not afford to pay their monthly rent. Growing up, Mandel shared a room with his two brothers, wore
hand-me-downs, and had few financial means. However, despite their economic difficulties, Mandel's mother often gave the little she had to charity. His family continued its Jewish tradition, sending young Mandel to an afternoon
Hebrew school
Hebrew school is Jewish education focusing on topics of Jewish history, learning the Hebrew language, and finally learning their Torah Portion, in preparation for the ceremony in Judaism of entering adulthood, known as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Hebr ...
.
[Michael E. Bennet]
Mandels now Major Force in Jewish Philanthropy
Cleveland Jewish News, August 19, 2010
After his
bar mitzvah, at age 13, he started working after school selling hot dogs, drinks, peanuts, and popcorn at
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Cleveland Stadium, commonly known as Municipal Stadium, Lakefront Stadium or Cleveland Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium located in Cleveland, Ohio. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball an ...
.
[Charles A. Radi]
Mort Mandel talks about doing good, doing well
BrandeisNOW, December 10, 2012 Mandel's father suffered from
multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
, and as the disease progressed, he had to be taken care of by his wife. Eventually he became bedridden and his wife became the sole provider for the family, selling clothing out of suitcases on the streets of Cleveland. After graduating from high school, Mandel attended the chemistry program at
Adelbert College
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio. Case Western Reserve was established in 1967, when Western Reserve University, founded in 1826 and named for its location in the Connecticut Western Rese ...
, but dropped out in his second year to join the automotive parts shop that he and his brothers had purchased from their uncle, Jacob Mandel.
In February 1949, Mandel met
Barbara (née Abrams)[Philanthropist Morton L. Mandel recalled as a mensch at memorial service](_blank)
/ref> whom he later married, and with whom he had three children, Amy, Thom, and Stacy. Mandel and his wife own homes in Cleveland, Florida, and New York.
In 1967, after the Six-Day War
The Six-Day War (, ; ar, النكسة, , or ) or June War, also known as the 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states (primarily United Arab Republic, Egypt, S ...
, Mandel and his wife first visited Israel, which along with his involvement in the Jewish community in Cleveland, became an important part of his life.
In 2012, Mandel published his book ''It's All About Who You Hire, How They Lead ... and Other Essential Advice from a Self-Made Leader'' explaining his business and philanthropic philosophy. The book was also published in China and Israel.
On May 19, 2013, Mandel received his bachelor's degree from Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio. Case Western Reserve was established in 1967, when Western Reserve University, founded in 1826 and named for its location in the Connecticut Western Reser ...
, after completing the academic studies started during his first enrollment, in 1939. He was an active member of Zeta Beta Tau
Zeta Beta Tau () is a Greek-letter social fraternity based in North America. It was founded on December 29, 1898. Originally a Zionist youth society, its purpose changed from Zionism in the fraternity's early years when in 1954 the fraternity beco ...
fraternity.
Mandel died on October 16, 2019 at his home in Florida.
Military service
In 1943, Mandel was recruited by the U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
to fight in World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. A few months after he enlisted, the Army sent him and thousands of others back to school, due to fear of a wartime shortage of engineers. Mandel spent two years as a student for the Army, first at Pomona College
Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became ...
in Claremont, California, and later at the University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
. In 1946, once the war was over, Mandel, now a 2nd Lieutenant, was sent back home to Cleveland.
During his service in World War II, Mandel was put in charge of transporting fifteen wounded American soldiers from an army hospital in Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
to another hospital further south. Along the way, the group stopped for lunch. The African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
soldiers in the group were refused admission to the restaurant, one in which German prisoners of war
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
were being served. Outraged by this act of racism, Mandel took the group away from the restaurant, where they would have been able to pay with meal voucher
A meal voucher or luncheon voucher is a voucher for a meal given to employees as an employee benefit, allowing them to eat at outside restaurants, typically for lunch. In many countries, meal vouchers have had favorable tax treatment. Vouchers ar ...
s, and bought them sandwiches from a street vendor
A hawker is a vendor of merchandise that can be easily transported; the term is roughly synonymous with costermonger or peddler. In most places where the term is used, a hawker sells inexpensive goods, handicrafts, or food items. Whether stationa ...
.
Business career
In the spring of 1940, Mandel's uncle, Jacob Mandel, decided to leave Cleveland for Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, and offered to sell his auto repair shop to Mandel's brother, Jack. Jack gathered his two brothers, Joe, who sold soap, and Morton, who worked in the shop after school, and opened their first business. They spent their $900 savings to buy it and also received a $3,000 loan for inventory from their uncle, Conrad Mandel. On August 1, 1940, they opened Premier Automotive Supply Company, which sold car parts
This is a list of auto parts, mostly for vehicles using internal combustion engines which are manufactured components of automobiles:
Car body and main parts Body components, including trim
Doors
Windows
Low voltage/auxiliary ele ...
.
Premier Industrial Corporation
In 1945, upon Mandel's return from service, he returned to his family's business with Joe, who had also returned from a job in a war plant, and Jack, who had kept the business running during his brothers' service. Following his return, Mandel acted as general manager of the company and handled the business's management. Originally an auto-parts distributor, Premier Automotive was incorporated as Premier Autoware in 1946. Shortly after, the brothers realized that their parts were also being sold by many other distributors, and that their resulting profit margin was barely enough to live on. After a few months of asking their customers what parts they needed, they formed a list of "hard to get" parts, and found sources to buy them. They then sold those "hard to get" parts, and as a result, their sales increased with a large demand and their business began to grow.
The brothers also founded their business around the principles of customer service
Customer service is the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services. Each industry requires different levels of customer service, but in the end, the idea of a well-performed service is that ...
, using such slogans as "Killing Yourself for Your Customer", "Always Trying to Raise the Bar", and "A Focus on Our People". In fulfillment of this goal, they hired an engineer who was responsible for assisting and understanding their customers' needs. Later, they built a customer service department that operated 24-hours, including holidays and weekends, answering and handling clients' needs. An example of this service is when a ride at Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
broke down on a Saturday and the company had the necessary part shipped within hours that same day.
They later acquired an electronic supply division, which led the company to expand its scope and business. In 1955, Mandel hired Bob Warren, who helped transform the company, and in 1972 became its President. In May 1960 the company changed its name to the Premier Industrial Corporation, and Mandel launched its initial public offering
An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment ...
, with his brothers retaining 70% of the ownership. Four years later, the company was listed on the NYSE
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the List of stock exchanges, world's largest s ...
. This allowed the company to acquire more than a dozen industrial and electronic parts companies. The purchase of Newark Electronics, in 1968, significantly expanded the company's reach into the electronic components business. In addition to specializing in the distribution of electronics equipment, maintenance products, and firefighting equipment, Premier Industrial Corporation also marketed a wide range of products including lubricants, welding supplies, and fasteners to its over 100,000 customers around the world.
In the late 1960s, Mandel began working in the Cleveland business community, serving as a Director of the Central National Bank of Cleveland and the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. until 1979, when he left them to focus on philanthropic activities. As Premier Industrial Corporation grew, Mandel met on a monthly basis with Peter Drucker
Peter Ferdinand Drucker (; ; November 19, 1909 – November 11, 2005) was an Austrian-American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business co ...
, who consulted on various matters regarding the company.
In the 1970s, the Premier Industrial Corporation began operation in Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, and by 1977, the firm had opened a corporate research and development center, where the company tailored its products to customers' needs. By 1984, the company had 18 divisions, with electronics constituting half of $465 million in sales, and the company making a net profit of $48 million. It later became one of the largest U.S. distributors of auto parts and electronic components. During his stay at the Palm Beach Country Club
A country club is a privately owned club, often with a membership quota and admittance by invitation or sponsorship, that generally offers both a variety of recreational sports and facilities for dining and entertaining. Typical athletic offer ...
, Mandel met Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence Madoff ( ; April 29, 1938April 14, 2021) was an American fraudster and financier who was the admitted mastermind of the largest Ponzi scheme in history, worth about $64.8 billion. He was at one time chairman of the NASDAQ s ...
, and although most of his advisors favored investing in Madoff's fund, Mandel declined because of Madoff's lack of transparency. Premier Industrial Corporation earned numerous business awards, including being one of fifty top companies profiled in the 1995 book, Making It in America.
In 1996, when Premier Industrial Corporation had 16 different divisions and was worth nearly $3 billion, it merged with the British company Farnell Electronics PLC to form Premier Farnell PLC, one of largest industrial and electronic components supplier in the world. Mandel served as the Deputy Chairman of Premier Farnell until 2002.
During Mandel's 36 years as the Chairman of the Premier Industrial Corporation, the company had 34 years which ended in profit growth and in 30 of those years, its net profit
In business and accounting, net income (also total comprehensive income, net earnings, net profit, bottom line, sales profit, or credit sales) is an entity's income minus cost of goods sold, expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest, a ...
after taxes, was more than 10% of its business operations.
Business ventures in Israel
Mandel's first business involvement in Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
occurred in 2003, when Parkwood Corporation, the Mandel Brothers' private investment company, established Israel Equity Limited (IEL). Mandel served as Chairman of this company. IEL is an investment company which aims at contributing to Israel's industrial sector by buying industrial companies and improving their management and business results. IEL has acquired and invested in Tadbik Group, Bikur Rofe, and Phoenicia Glass Works Ltd. These investments in total employ more than 800 workers.
Mandel invested in the hi-tech
High technology (high tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the most complex or the newest te ...
sector. His first such investment was in Medivent, the second hi-tech company in Israel. In 2011, Mandel was one of Pontifax's first investors, which focuses on investing in life science
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy t ...
companies.
Philanthropy
In 1953, the three Mandel brothers founded the Mandel Foundation, which supports many charitable causes. The foundation headquarters are located in Cleveland.
In the late 1970s Mandel started devoting more time toward philanthropy in the Cleveland area, serving as:
*Case Western Reserve University, Trustee
*Cleveland Museum of Art, Trustee
*Musical Arts Association (The Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra, based in Cleveland, is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the " Big Five". Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Sev ...
), Trustee
*Cleveland Tomorrow, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman
*Jewish Community Center
A Jewish Community Center or a Jewish Community Centre (JCC) is a general recreational, social clubs, social, and Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities. JCCs promote Jewish ...
of Cleveland, President, 1952–1957
* Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, President, 1974–1977
*United Way
United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public, prior to 2016.
United Way organizations raise funds ...
Services, Chairman of the Board, 1979–1981; President, 1977–1979
*City of Cleveland Project MOVE (formerly Mayor's Committee on Volunteerism), Founder, 1981
*Park Works (formerly Clean-Land, Ohio), Co-founder and Trustee, 1981–1997
*MidTown Cleveland, Co-Founder and Chairman, 1982–1985; Trustee, 1982
*Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
s, CWRU, Co-Founder, 1984
*Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is the United States' official memorial to the Holocaust. Adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the USHMM provides for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust hi ...
, 1998
In 1973, Mandel co-founded Cleveland's Ten Plus Club, which recruited business leaders who agreed to increase their contribution to $10,000. Mandel and his two brothers also donated more than $1 million to the human services
Human services is an interdisciplinary field of study with the objective of meeting human needs through an applied knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall qua ...
campaign of Cleveland's United Way. In 1988, at a ceremony on the White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
lawn, President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
awarded Premier Industrial Corporation the President Award for social initiatives in the private sector. That same year, the Mandel Foundation made a naming gift for what was then the School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. In 2013, the school's social work program which had ranked 9th in the country at the time, was awarded an additional $8 million from the Mandel Foundation.
In 1988, the Mandel Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation
The George Gund Foundation is a charitable foundation established in 1952 to provide grants in the areas of the arts, civic engagement, community development, economic development, environmental policy, and human services, public education, racia ...
, the Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
, and other local private, public, and philanthropic interests founded Cleveland Neighborhood Progress Inc. Mandel chaired this project.
In the early 1990s, Mandel became the financial supporter of the initiatives reflected in the Commission on Jewish Education in North America's 1990 report "A Time to Act," which called for strengthening the Jewish education profession and mobilizing community support for Jewish learning. In 1992, Mandel founded the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, which trains potential social leaders in various programs, including its Educational Leadership School and the Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
Education Development Program. By 2014, the program had over 400 graduates. In 2002, following on "A Time to Act," Mandel founded th
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education
a
Brandeis University
a research center dedicated to improving Jewish education.
In 2004, the Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev
The Negev or Negeb (; he, הַנֶּגֶב, hanNegév; ar, ٱلنَّقَب, an-Naqab) is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southe ...
was established, which works closely with local authorities, non-profits, and social activists to develop local leadership in the region and improve the quality of life for Negev residents. The center also works to create better relationships between the region's Jewish and Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...
communities. At the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) ( he, אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב, ''Universitat Ben-Guriyon baNegev'') is a public research university in Beersheba, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has five campuses: the ...
, the Mandel Foundation offers a MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
program in social leadership to foster a new group of Israeli leaders who combine a business approach with a commitment to social values.
In 2007, Mandel Foundation contributed $22.5 million to establish the Mandel Center for the Humanities at Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, pro ...
, which focuses on the fields of literature, language, and philosophy.
Since 2010, several institutions and buildings have been established by the Mandel Foundation, including the Mandel Building of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland; the Mandel Jewish Community Centers in Cleveland and in Palm Beach Gardens, and the Mandel School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
, adjacent to the university's existing Mandel Institute of Jewish Studies.
In 2010, the Mandel Foundation donated $5 million to build the new Jewish Community Center at the Palm Beach Gardens and $12 million to the new Mandel Wing for Jewish Art and Life at the Israel Museum
The Israel Museum ( he, מוזיאון ישראל, ''Muze'on Yisrael'') is an art and archaeological museum in Jerusalem. It was established in 1965 as Israel's largest and foremost cultural institution, and one of the world’s leading encyclopa ...
in Jerusalem.
In early 2012, the Mandel Foundation donated $5 million to public library of West Palm Beach. Later that year the foundation also gave an $18 million grant to build the new Mandel School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as its annual $2.5 million contribution to support programs there.
In 2013, the Mandel Foundation contributed $25 million to build the new Jerusalem campus for the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design ( he, בצלאל, אקדמיה לאמנות ועיצוב) is a public college of design and art located in Jerusalem. Established in 1906 by Jewish painter and sculptor Boris Schatz, Bezalel is Israel's oldes ...
, in addition to the support it gave to Bezalel's annual exhibition.
In June 2013, the Temple-Tifereth Israel received a matching commitment of $16 million from Mandel Foundation for a major expansion and renovation of its Beachwood campus in Ohio.
In November 2013, Mandel Foundation announced a $5 million endowment to establish the Be'er-Sheva Children's World Museum and a $1 million grant to the Cleveland Institute of Art
The Cleveland Institute of Art, previously Cleveland School of Art, is a private college focused on art and design and located in Cleveland, Ohio.
History
The college was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women, at firs ...
for campus modernization and unification. The foundation awarded a $5.25 million gift to Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, pro ...
to fund a newly endowed faculty chair and to better the curriculum of the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education.
In 2014, the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is a design museum housed within the Andrew Carnegie Mansion in Manhattan, New York City, along the Upper East Side's Museum Mile (New York City), Museum Mile. It is one of 19 museums that fall under the ...
in 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 ...
received a $10 million gift from the Morton and Barbara Mandel Family Foundation.
In February 2014, the Mandel Foundation awarded a $13 million grant to establish a new building and new programs for the Mandel Institute for Social Leadership, which be housed on the campus of Ben-Gurion University.
In total, Mandel, his wife, and two brothers donated about $1 billion for charitable and cultural causes, of which one third went to Israeli institutions.
The Mandel Foundation has been responsible for publishing more than 30 books and monographs.
Awards and recognition
*Presidential Award (by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
) for Private Sector Initiatives
*George S. Dively Award for Corporate Leadership in Urban Development
*Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
*Civic Leader of the Year, Cleveland, Ohio
*Charles Eisenman Award, Cleveland Jewish Community Federation
*Frank L. Weil Award, JCC Association
A Jewish Community Center or a Jewish Community Centre (JCC) is a general recreational, social clubs, social, and Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities. JCCs promote Jewish ...
*Citizen of the Year, medal Cleveland Board of Realtors
*Honorary Fellow, Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design
*Business Statesman of the Year, Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA p ...
of Cleveland
*Best Management Performance Award, Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio. Case Western Reserve was established in 1967, when Western Reserve University, founded in 1826 and named for its location in the Connecticut Western Reser ...
, Weatherhead School of Management
*Business Executive of the Year, Sales & Marketing Executives of Cleveland
*Newton D. Baker
Newton Diehl Baker Jr. (December 3, 1871 – December 25, 1937) was an American lawyer, Georgist,Noble, Ransom E. "Henry George and the Progressive Movement." The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, vol. 8, no. 3, 1949, pp. 259–269. w ...
Distinguished Alumni Award, Case Western Reserve University
*Businessman of the Year, Cleveland Urban League
*Outstanding Young Man of the Year, Cleveland Junior Chamber of Commerce
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...
Mandel also received honorary doctorates
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
from the following universities:
*Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio. Case Western Reserve was established in 1967, when Western Reserve University, founded in 1826 and named for its location in the Connecticut Western Reser ...
, Cleveland, OH
*Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in operation since 1923. ...
, Cleveland, OH
*Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, pro ...
, Waltham, MA
*Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
, Israel
*Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) ( he, אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב, ''Universitat Ben-Guriyon baNegev'') is a public research university in Beersheba, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has five campuses: the ...
, Israel
*Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.["About YU]
on the Yeshiva Universit ...
, New York, NY
*Hebrew Union College
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
, Cincinnati, OH
*Gratz College
Gratz College is a private Jewish college in Melrose Park, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origins to 1856 when banker, philanthropist, and communal leader Hyman Gratz and the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia (established in 1849 ...
, Philadelphia, PA
*Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, Cleveland, OH
*Hebrew College
Hebrew College is a private college of Jewish studies in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Founded in 1921, Hebrew College is committed to Jewish scholarship in a pluralistic, trans-denominational academic environment. The president of the college i ...
, Boston, MA
References
Further reading
* Mandel, Morton & Byrne, John (November 2012)
It's All About Who You Hire, How They Lead...and Other Essential Advice from a Self-Made Leader
External links
Morton Mandel official website
The Mandel Foundation Website
The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
The Mandel Legacy - "Our Cup Runneth Over"
Morton Mandel: Executive Profile & Biography - Businessweek
Morton Mandel on Hiring "A Employees" - American Management Association
Premier Industrial Corporation History
Articles
The Mandel Foundation Contributes $25 Million To The New Bezalel Campus
Cooper-Hewitt Receives $10 Million From Morton and Barbara Mandel Family Foundation
American Academy of Arts and Sciences Honors Morton Mandel
Morton L. Mandel, Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy recipient and entrepreneur, dies at age 98
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1921 births
2019 deaths
20th-century American businesspeople
21st-century American businesspeople
American Zionists
United States Army personnel of World War II
American billionaires
American chairpersons of corporations
American chief executives
Businesspeople from Cleveland
Case Western Reserve University alumni
Jewish American philanthropists
Military personnel from Cleveland
Ohio Democrats
Writers from Cleveland
Pomona College alumni
20th-century American philanthropists
21st-century American Jews