Bernard Goldberg (businessman)

Bernard "Bernie" Goldberg (October 20, 1925 – August 27, 2010) was an American businessperson who co-founded the furniture retailer Raymour Furniture (which later became Raymour & Flanigan) in 1946 with his brother, Arnold Goldberg.[1]

Biography

Early life

Goldberg graduated from Nottingham High School in Syracuse before enrolling at Princeton University.[2] He dropped out of Princeton in order to enlist in the United States Army during World War II.[2] He was sent to France and Germany in the infantry during the war and was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal.[2] He returned to New York following the end of World War II, where he received a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University in 1948.[2]

Raymour & Flanigan

Bernard and Arnold Goldberg opened the first Raymour Furniture in 1946 in Syracuse, New York.[1] They did not name their new store "Goldberg" because another store in the city owned by their relatives already used their given name.[1] Instead, the brothers named their furniture store after an antiques shop in Long Island which was owned and operated by another brother.[1] Under Goldberg's ownership, the two brothers opened a second store in Clay, New York, in 1972.[1] The company acquired Flanigan's Furniture in 1990, which operated fourteen stores in upstate New York at the time.[1] The acquisition gave the company its present name, Raymour & Flanigan.[1]

Bernard Goldberg remained the chairperson of Raymour & Flanigan until his death in 2010.[1] However, he suffered from deteriorating health, including Alzheimer's disease during the later years of his life.[1] His two sons - Raymour & Flanigan President and CEO Neil Goldberg and Executive Vice President Steve Goldberg, as well as his nephew, Executive Vice President Michael Goldberg, succeeded him.[1]

Additionally, Goldberg was a founding member of the Syracuse Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York and was a member of the board of directors for the New York State Division of Human Rights.[1]

Death

Bernard Goldberg died in Syracuse on August 27, 2010, of complications from Alzheimer's disease, aged 84.[1] He was survived by his wife, Norma, three sons, one daughter and eleven grandchildren.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Engel, Clint (2010-09-01). "Raymour & Flanigan co-founder Bernard Goldberg dies, Had remained chairman of Top 100 furniture retailer". Furniture Today. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Bernard "Bernie" Goldberg obituary". The Post-Standard. 2010-08-28. Retrieved 2010-09-05.


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