Alumnus and Trustee Marshall M. Gelfand ’50 Remembered

In 2013, Wide range magazine honored Syracuse College alumnus and trustee Marshall M. Gelfand ’50 with its Small business Administrators Elite Award and an short article titled “Veteran Organization Supervisor Balances Operate and Philanthropy.” Gelfand, who died April 1 at the age of 93, was certainly renowned for his dedication to his get the job done, his boundless electrical power, his charitable causes, his generous philanthropic leadership and his devotion to his beloved Syracuse University and fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu.

Gelfand turned a Daily life Trustee in 1993, 1st appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1983, and delivered assistance to the Board’s College student Affairs Committee (now recognized as the Enrollment and Student Expertise Committee), the $300-million Dedication to Learning Marketing campaign Executive Committee and the National Committee for the Schine Pupil Centre Marketing campaign. Gelfand was also instrumental in launching the Syracuse University satellite campus in Los Angeles in 2009, wherever he served as advisor.

“Marshall served the interests of Syracuse College students as he engaged in and supported the University’s initiatives, even as he sophisticated in his specialist daily life,” claims Board Chair Kathy Walters ’73. “Through his advocacy and his philanthropy, he touched countless life from coast to coastline.”

In an posting composed in 2010, the Workplace of Veteran and Armed forces Affairs (OVMF) claimed Gelfand’s tale is a Syracuse College tale, “one that speaks to our previous, our present and our long term.” He well balanced his tutorial career (Martin J. Whitman Faculty of Administration and regulation university at New York College) with his army assistance in the 1940s and 1950s.

With a diploma in accounting from the Whitman University and a law diploma from New York College, Gelfand opened his very own accounting business. It was a serendipitous telephone connect with from an legal professional whom he’d met at a celebration that would shape the trajectory of his occupation. He was launched to the touring group of Peter, Paul and Mary, and turned their accountant, eventually adding big names like Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Carly Simon and Debra Winger to his portfolio of clientele. In 1967, Gelfand and companions officially established Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, LLP, which would come to be just one of the leading small business administration companies in the leisure sector with workplaces all over the world symbolizing clients in the fields of new music, motion pics, television, literature and medicine.

Gelfand was an engaged and generous alumnus through his lifetime. He was a board member of the Syracuse University Alumni Association, the Southern California Alumni Club and chair of the Southern California Regional Campaign. He proven the Marshall M. Gelfand Endowed Scholarship and the Marshall M. Gelfand Special Instruction Endowed Scholarship. He generously supported other initiatives in the College or university of Arts and Sciences, the Martin J. Whitman University of Administration and Syracuse College Athletics.

“Marshall was a focused advocate and faithful winner of Syracuse University—from his function on the Board of Trustees, to his generous assistance of initiatives that offered options for college students and truly increased the scholar knowledge,” claims Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The University’s achieve and effect are increased currently because of Marshall’s company and generosity.”

In 1996, Gelfand been given the George Arents Pioneer Medal, the University’s maximum alumni honor, and, in 2007 at the 50 percent-Century Dinner celebrating his 50th class reunion, he received the Melvin A. Eggers Senior Alumni Award. He was also a receiver of the Orange Circle Award in 2010.

He provided management and support to the Board of the Eta chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation and was the driving force driving various scholarships funded by his beloved fraternity. His life time of leadership of the Sigma Alpha Mu Eta chapter is memorialized by the commitment of the fraternity household in his name on the Syracuse campus. He was a centennial founder of the Assuring Century2 Marketing campaign, benefitting the Sigma Alpha Mu Basis.

Gelfand was lively in civic and cultural organizations in Southern California, possessing served as president of the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Centre, president of the Palm Springs Buddies of the Philharmonic, president of Temple Isaiah, chair of the museum endowment fund for the Palm Springs Artwork Museum, treasurer of the Palm Springs Global Film Pageant, member of the national board of the Alzheimer’s Association and the Coachella Valley Alzheimer’s Association.

Gelfand made the Judy Fund in memory of his late wife, the largest spouse and children fund in the history of the Alzheimer’s Affiliation, elevating over $9 million in support of Alzheimer’s analysis and care. In 2014, he obtained the Sargent and Eunice Shriver Profiles in Dignity award for his perform.

Gelfand was a initial era American. His dad and mom have been Russian immigrants who settled in Claremont, New Hampshire, in the early 1900s, and opened a tailoring small business there. Gelfand, who was born in 1927, attended Stevens High University in Claremont, performed basketball and was editor of the yearbook and graduation speaker.

He is survived by his children, Todd Evan Gelfand (Doreen), Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns (Richard) and Dean Loring Gelfand (Marcie), together with 8 grandchildren: Brian Gelfand (Monica), Ilana McBride (Marcus), Gregory Stearns (Gabriella), Jacqueline Stearns (Spencer), Ben Gelfand (Samy), Sophie Gelfand, Ella Stearns (who is presently pursuing a diploma in the Maxwell School) and Andrew Gelfand, and four wonderful-grandchildren: Ayla, Addy and Riley Gelfand and Lively McBride.