Jerome "Jerry" Adler

Jerome "Jerry" Adler's whirlwind life and career started humbly. He grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, during the Depression, raised by hard-working, inspiring and dedicated parents, Edith and William ("Bill") Adler, in a loving family of three boys. By age nine, Jerry was already making his way in the world. He voluntarily took a job as a newspaper delivery boy to relieve his dad from giving him a weekly allowance. During secondary school, he worked as a layer cake decorator and a bakery packer in his hometown, while squeezing in city street stickball and baseball with his friends. He discovered, from Italian neighbors, what would become a lasting passion and expertise - real Italian food, and yes, occasionally, the local neighbors homemade wine!

Moreover, Jerry developed a lasting love of pro basketball, sneaking into Madison Square Garden with friends to see Knicks games from the cheap seats. This was another strong interest that would become significant later.

After high school, Jerry enrolled in Rutgers University, a 90-minute train ride from his home. He made friends, but found college to be academically unfulfilling, and at the end of his sophomore year, he voluntarily enlisted in the Army, much to the surprise of his parents. Jerry remarked that his enlistment was motivated in part by the battlefield death of a childhood friend in Korea during the first year of that war.

-Military Service In Korea-

Jerry began his three-year enlistment on July 24, 1951. After intensive training, he served in combat zones doing reconnaissance and battlefield duties, including planning and executing patrols across the line into enemy or disputed ground. Jerry vividly recalled his patrols, all conducted at night, slipping through the line a considerable distance and setting up listening posts and returning to the safe line before dawn.

During this last year of his three-year enlistment, he was also awarded a field commission, elevating him from private to lieutenant. He also was selected as First Army Soldier Of The Year. He was offered a full commission by his battalion commanders, and though very honored, chose to be honorably discharged on June 21, 1954. He was eager to return to college. For his service, he received the U.S. Combat Infantryman Badge, of which he was most proud.

In addition, he received the Army Commendation Medal, Combat Ribbon with Metal Pendant, Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal with an Overseas Service Bar and National Defense Service Medal.

Jerry would later become Illinois Commander of the Combat Infantrymen's Association and was active with the American Legion.

Jerry also recommended and led the effort to have a special, commemorative Illinois license plate to honor any veteran who had served in combat, after direct discussions with the Illinois Secretary Of State's office. His efforts were successful.

He received the "Hero Among Us Award" from Highland Park, his hometown, at a ceremony where he was honored by the mayor, a state senator, and a U.S. congressman.

-Renewed College Years-

With the aid of the G.I. Bill, a scholarship and a job covering Rutgers sports for the Newark Star Ledger and the Associated Press, Jerry was able to re-enter Rutgers, where he excelled in his studies, graduating in 1956. Not only did he garner a B.A. from Rutgers, he also met his future wife, Elaine, who graduated the same day as Jerry with her M.A. in English. They married a year and half later, initiating what would prove to be a lifetime of experiences and adventures.

-An Advertising Career Takes Flight-

Possessing a newly minted college degree, Jerry pursued a career as a copywriter in the advertising wing of Bamberger's Department Store, a Macy's subsidiary. After a couple of years, he spent a part of their personal savings on buying a new, huge leather portfolio, a requirement to present his copywriting work to the legendary McCann Erickson advertising agency of New York. He was offered a position with them and progressed rapidly.

Based on his success there, he was promoted and transferred to Chicago to head up a department.

-A Marketing Career Emerges-

After heading his new department for a couple of years and based on his interests and emerging marketing acumen, an executive recruiter pursued him, and Jerry entered something he had a developing interest for, the wine and spirits industry.

He became a young V.P. of Marketing for Barton Brands - a liquor distilling and distributing company of commodity whiskey brands in Chicago. He realized he was competing in a U.S. liquor market that offered a proliferation of product choices and zero new product development.

As an early adopter of the emerging Product Differentiation marketing strategy (i.e. to be successful, products must be distinctive, uniquely different, and offer purchase-motivating consumer benefits), Jerry quickly repositioned his best-prospect brands.

But it was his aggressive new product innovations that earned him industry-wide praise and recognition. Notably:

-Canadian Mist-

In 1967, Jerry insightfully noted that Canadian Whiskey brands produced and bottled for U.S. import paid duties more than double what duty would be for importing unfinished, bulk barrels of Canadian Whiskey. He arranged for Barton to obtain exclusive bulk importing and marketing rights for this unknown brand, presently not sold in the USA. He redesigned the brand's label and repositioned it as a "Triple-distilled, blended, grained, Canadian Whiskey" (product of Canada), advantageously priced lower than Seagram's #1 selling brand. Canadian Mist reached 1 million cases sold in just four years.

New opportunities emerged, and he was off to Hartford, Connecticut and the world of Smirnoff Vodka and A1 Steak Sauce as an executive vice president with Heublein.

Yet, Jerry and the family missed the Chicago area. So he returned and became President & Chief Operating Officer of Mogan David Wine Corporation, (Tribuno Wines, Franzia), heading the wine division owned by Coca-Cola Bottling Corporation of New York.

-Entrepreneurial Spirit-

New challenges were sought as Jerry envisioned and spearheaded bringing to the Chicago area, what was then a small franchise in another state, Takeout Taxi. This would become the first comprehensive home and corporate restaurant food delivery company for the Chicago area suburbs.

He also owned and helmed D.J. Dotson, a well-respected beverage specialty company.

-The Personal Touch-

Throughout his business career, Jerry, mindful of his own rise, relished mentoring others with career advice, and skill development tips and by using his business reputation and contacts to assist others. He enjoyed seeing his employees, colleagues and friends succeed. In business, his creativity was matched by something equally important to him, his noted honesty and integrity, which were often praised by colleagues and competitors alike.

-New Chicagoans-

Although Jerry and Elaine were born, raised, educated and steered their professional careers in Jersey City and New York City, when Jerry was promoted to Chicago, the young couple completely engaged with their completely new surroundings. All their family and friends were on the Eastern Seaboard before their big move. They loved to show off the city they adopted and came to love - the architecture, Lake Shore Drive, art and public sculptures/culture, and, of course, local restaurants and cuisine to their East Coast friends and eventually, friends from Europe.

Jerry's ability to personally connect engendered close friends and business relationships for decades at home and also abroad, especially in London, Paris and all over his favorite foreign destination, Italy.

-Restaurants & Entertainment-

Jerry was a knowledgeable, discerning restaurant recommender. It was also not uncommon for him to offer marketing and presentation advice, based on his skills and extensive travel, and he did so voluntarily to selected small and large restaurant owners who lauded his ideas and employed them.

Jerry was an enthusiastic party co-host with his wife, as he supervised the outdoor grill and barbecue or arranged rousing dinner parties, and wine tasting extravaganzas that included flown-in-from France, Beaujolais Nouveau.

-Family First-

Above all, Jerry was a loving husband, father and friend. He and Elaine recently celebrated their 65th Year Wedding Anniversary.

Family and friends always benefited from his hospitality and great sense of humor. He inspired and motivated his children with a generosity of spirit and resources. Even with an extensive business travel schedule, he was always in attendance for sports competitions and other events, no matter the size. He was their hero.

Jerry was also a fan of the Chicago Bulls, pre-Michael Jordan, and was at every game possible before and during the Jordan years. He shared his love of basketball with friends and family, as well as Italian food, farm fresh produce hunts, and surprise family ice cream parlor discoveries. Jerry was also a great fan of the professional tennis tours, bringing his family members to many tournaments and encouraging them to develop their own skills to play and compete.

Above all, Jerry never forgot where he came from and what it took to get there. He treated everyone with respect and was also a generous tipper. He believed in rewarding and encouraging real effort.

Beloved husband of Elaine (nee Bader) and son-in-law of Tillie Bader. Loving father of Matthew Adler and Rabbi Alison Adler (Chuck Hirshberg). Proud grandfather of Leo. Dear brother of the late Irwin and James Adler.

...