Jack Rudin

Rudin was born to a Jewish family in New York City in 1924, the son of May (née Cohen) and Samuel Rudin. His birth name was Jacob Rudin; he later legally changed his name to Jack.[1][2] He attended P.S. 166, DeWitt Clinton High School, and then attended City College of New York. In 1942, he served in the United States Army as a Staff Sergeant under General George Patton in the Infantry and received the Bronze Star Medal for fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.[3] In 1945, he returned to the United States and entered the family business.[3] In the 1950s and 1960s, the Rudin family was one of the most prolific builders of skyscrapers in Manhattan.[4] In 1975, Jack and his brother Lewis, took over the family company.[5] Jack focused on construction and operations while Lewis focused on financing and marketing.[6] In 1990, the Rudin Management portfolio was valued at $1.5 billion.[7] He served as Chairman of the Rudin Management Company.[3]

Rudin served on the Boards of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Jazz at Lincoln Center.[3] He was an Honorary Trustee of the American Museum of Natural History and Congregation Shearith Israel, and previously served as a trustee at Iona College.[3] In 2003, he was awarded the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor; and in 2008 was granted the Benemerenti Award Medal by Pope Benedict XVI.[3] Rudin was the primary sponsor of the Va'ad Gemilut Hasadim: Susan and Jack Rudin Center for Community Outreach.[8]

In 1951, he married Roberta Chait;[9] she died in 1983.[10] They had three children: Eric Rudin, Madeleine Rudin, and Katherine Rudin. He was remarried to Susan Salesky Schaenen with whom he had two stepdaughters, Inda Schaenen and Eve Schaenen.[1][11][12][13] Rudin died on December 4, 2016 in New York City.[14] Rudin was a member of the Congregation Shearith Israel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.[15]