Philanthropist led men’s apparel firm
Herschel Victor (BCom'44), who died Friday at age 88, helped turn a family business from Montreal into a clothing colossus in North America, but always made a point of sharing his wealth.
More than six decades ago, the McGill commerce grad took over Jack Victor Ltd., the private company founded in 1913 by his father, and grew it into one of the largest suit manufacturers in North America.
It still employs more than 700 people and exports about 70 per cent of its production.
He remained at the helm for 53 years, and still was chairman and chief executive officer at his death. Son Alan is now the president.
"He was quite an icon, very principled, a perfectionist, one of the most successful suit clothing manufacturers ever. He always set a standard of impeccable quality in the way he ran and produced the product. I would always see his clothing as a standard I'd like to follow," said Alvin Segal, chairman and chief executive officer of another longtime Montreal men's suit maker, Peerless Clothing.
Elliot Lifson, president of the Canadian Apparel Federation, said Victor was "a class act, a hands-on, customer-centric person, a leader and great representative of this industry. He had integrity, a strong work ethic and understood the business."
As much as he distinguished himself professionally, Victor - whose funeral service was held Monday - left a lasting imprint on many local charities and causes, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Federation CJA, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University and Montreal General Hospital Foundation.
He and Christine Goldman, his wife of 64 years, donated $1.5 million to help establish the Christine & Herschel Victor/Hope & Cope chair in psychosocial oncology at the Jewish General Hospital in 2009.
The Herschel Victor Foundation, founded in 1982, provides scholarships for students entering Mc-Gill's Desautels School of Management, where he joined the advisory board in 1997.
"He was one of our great and most distinguished alums, someone we could look to as a role model of achievement. He was also a great supporter of McGill. We will miss him," said Peter Todd, dean of the Desautels School of Management.
Honoured numerous times over the years for both his corporate and philanthropic endeavours, Victor had an Order of Canada, honorary doctorate from McGill (awarded last year) and a Governor General's Medal.
Donations in his memory can be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation or the charity of your choice.
Read full article: The Gazette, May 17, 2011