HAROLD B. PRESSMAN

PRESSMAN

HAROLD B., printing executive extraordinaire and a leader in the Conservative Jewish community in Philadelphia, West Palm Beach, and nationally, Harold B. Pressman left this earth on Monday, April 26, 2010 in West Palm Beach at the age of 97. A strong organizer and leader, he and his business partner, Burton L. Pearl, once sold their company to a national corporation. But when the corporation began to dismantle the company, Pearl and Pressman, he already in his sixties, purchased the company back to safeguard his employees' jobs. Born in Philadelphia in 1913, Harold B. Pressman attended public schools and Beth El Synagogue until he left for Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie-Mellon University) in Pittsburgh. He graduated in 1933 with a B.S. in Printing Management and immediately joined his father's small printing business as a salesman. Becoming its president in 1952, he was able to build Pearl-Pressman-Liberty Co. into one of the largest and most successful in the Delaware Valley, currently with more than 130 employees and some $25 million in sales.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, Pressman was active in the graphic arts industry as president of the Graphic Arts Association of the Delaware Valley, then in 1966 chosen its Man of the Year. He served as a member of the board and as chair of the finance committee of Printing Industries of America, and was on the board of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. Elected to three Graphic Arts honor societies, he also served as president of the Carnegie Tech Printers Alumni. Religiously, Pressman served Temple Sinai of Philadelphia (now located in Dresher, a Philadelphia suburb) as its building fund chair, president of its Men's Club, and finally its president for five years, remaining a member of its board for a number of years. He also served as president of the 50-congregation Delaware Valley Region of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Pressman went on to serve for five years as secretary and then vice-president of the national United Synagogue and continued on its Board and Executive Committee. For the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, he served as co-chair of its National Enrollment Plan and as a member of its planning committee. For this work, he has been honored three times: in 1963, with the National Service Award; in 1988, with the SHIN Award; and in 1994, together with his second wife, Selma, the Second Century Award. For 48 years he was married to Lillian Slater, a journalist and graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, who, in her own right, was honored for her outstanding work for Philadelphia Hadassah, which supports a hospital in Israel, whose bulletin she edited for 30 years. She was also honored by Women's Technion, which supports Israel's technical university, for whom she served as president of the Philadelphia chapter and national vice-president before passing away in 1987. In 1988, Pressman married Selma Rapaport of Scarsdale, N.Y., who graduated from the Ethical Cultural School and New York University. After her three sons, Michael, Peter and David, all lawyers, left the Rapaport home, Selma was destined for much community work: president of the sisterhood of Temple Israel in White Plains, president of the Westchester branch of Women's League, chair of the women's division of the Jewish Welfare Board and, finally, national president of the Women's League of Conservative Judaism. Harold Pressman is the father of Richard S. Pressman, Ph.D., professor of English at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, and Mark E. Pressman, executive director of the North Oaks retirement community in Pikesville, Maryland. Between Harold and Selma, the Pressmans have thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Funeral service will be held in West Palm Beach at Menorah Gardens, followed by burial in the family plot near Philadelphia. Graveside service Friday April 30th, 1:00 P.M. at Mt. Jacob Cemetery. Contributions in Mr. Pressman's memory may be made to the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, 4601 Community Dr., West Palm Beach, FL 33417.