Leonard Sherman Polaner

Leonard Polaner, age 94, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by loved ones, on August 1, 2025. Leonard is survived by Ellen, his beloved wife of 66 years, and his three sons, Douglas, Max, and Steven, and was predeceased by his daughter, Sara. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Leonard was born in Newark, NJ, in 1931, the only child of Sydney and Shirley Polaner. He grew up in Newark, attending Newark Academy for high school, and then became the first in his family to complete college by earning a degree in Food Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. After completing his education, Leonard served for two years as an officer in the Air Force.

Leonard's education and military service prepared him well to take over the family business, Polaner Preserves, which had been started by his grandfather Max in 1896. Under his leadership for the next 37 years, Leonard took the business from a regional brand to a national one, largely driven by Leonard's introduction of Polaner All Fruit and the famous "Please Pass the Jelly" television commercial that made it a household name. In 1987, the success of the business attracted the attention of the investment firm INVUS, who purchased the brand and asked Leonard to help grow it as part of the larger food company, B&G Foods, which went public in 2004. Finally, after 52 years leading the company, Leonard retired in 2008.

Outside of work, Leonard always felt a strong obligation to give back, and he was a dedicated philanthropist and volunteer. He used a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Polaner brand to create the Polaner Family Foundation, and in the 30-plus years it has existed, it has made hundreds of grants to nonprofits in Newark, across the country, and around the world. He volunteered for many organizations that he cared about, often through the Harvard Business School Community Partners program, enabling him to share his business wisdom with nonprofits across the New York metropolitan area.

Despite how busy he was, Leonard always prioritized his family. An only child who lost his mother when he was just 7 years old, Len always wanted a big family, and nothing made him happier than being surrounded by his children, their spouses, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His other love was travel, and he and Ellen visited countless countries across 6 continents on their many adventures. He lived his life according to his favorite expression: "Anything is possible!" He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.