ALFRED BERG

BERG--Alfred. Alfred Berg, a founder, former President and CEO of Marchon Eyewear, passed away in his sleep on March 11, 2019. Born September 17, 1951 to Russell and Frances Berg, the 67-year-old entrepreneur is survived by his wife Gayle, his children Carly and Jarret; his son- and daughter-in-law Jeremy and Jennifer; his granddaughter Arielle, and his two sisters Marjorie Pugatch and Judy Berg, along with an incredible network of extended family and friends. Al was a 1973 graduate of Syracuse University, where he majored in Business Administration and went on to receive his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1975. Al and his two business partners founded Marchon Eyewear in 1983, creating a sea change in the optical industry. Through his marketing creativity and deal-making acumen, Al became an industry leader, playing an instrumental role in the rise of designer eyewear and securing strategic licensing agreements that transformed Marchon into a successful global business. In "retirement" (which Al redefined to mean pursuing several other ventures), he gave back to his alma mater, endowing an Entrepreneurship Chair at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management. Along the way, Al poured his passion for tikkun olam into numerous philanthropic pursuits that will continue to help uplift communities in New York and around the world. Notably, Al provided decades of strategic leadership and support to the UJA Federation of New York, serving as Centennial Campaign Chair, Executive Board Member, past Long Island Chair, and Special Advisor to the UJA President. Upon his passing, UJA leadership publicly recognized Al's "commitment to social and humanitarian causes" and his critical work with various social-welfare agencies, which includes the JCC network, where Al once served as Vice President of the Mid-Island Y JCC's Board of Directors. In late 2016, Al and Gayle Berg generously funded a program by Zeta Beta Tau, the world's first Jewish Fraternity, focused on combatting Anti-Semitism. In doing so, Al remarked that "even in a country as great as America, it is important to always stay vigilant against bias, racism, and other forms of hatred." Through his leadership and exemplary good works, Al Berg has been a source of inspiration to many in the business and philanthropic spheres he inhabited. Al was surrounded by family in New York at the time of his death, which came after a hard-fought two-year battle with cancer. Al's legacy will long survive him, but most of all, he will be remembered by those who knew him best as a loving husband, father, brother, and uncle; and as an authentic, loyal, and generous friend. The funeral will be held on Thursday at 11am at Gutterman's Chapel in Woodbury.