LAURANS MENDELSON

MENDELSON--Laurans, '60CC, '61BUS, Trustee Emeritus. Acting President Claire Shipman and the Trustees of Columbia University mourn the passing of Laurans (Larry) Mendelson, distinguished alumnus and friend, Trustee Emeritus, and benefactor of the University. After starting his business career with success in accounting and real estate development, Larry took on a new venture when he and his sons took over HEICO in 1990. He grew the aerospace and electronics company exponentially by expanding product offerings and attracting international customers, making it a multi- billion- dollar company. The Mendelson family's history with Columbia is long and marked by deep generosity. Larry followed in the footsteps of his father, Samuel Mendelson (class of 1906), coming to Columbia College, and later seeing his sons Eric '87CC, '89BUS, and Victor '89CC, and several of his grandchildren attend the University. In addition to serving as a Trustee from 1995 - 2001, Larry served on the Alumni Advisory Board to the Trustees, the Columbia College Board of Visitors, and on the committees of two fundraising campaigns. In 1984, he received the John Jay Award, which Columbia bestows on alumni for significant professional achievement. In 1995, he received the Alumni Federation Medal in recognition of his contributions to building Columbia's community. Together with his sons, Larry created the Mendelson Center for Undergraduate Business Initiatives at Columbia Business School, which helps undergraduate students develop business leadership skills, regardless of major. Larry and his wife, Arlene, also endowed the Laurans A. and Arlene Mendelson Professorship in Economics and Business and established the Samuel and Blanche Mendelson Memorial Scholarship, which provides financial aid to Columbia undergraduates from South Florida, where the Mendelson family has resided since 1969. The family also created the Mendelson Family Professorship in American Studies. Larry will be remembered for his leadership, foresight, generosity, commitment to family, and love of Columbia. He was an exceptionally kind man, and he will be greatly missed. We extend our sincerest sympathies to Arlene, his sons Victor and Eric, his daughters-in-law Kimberly and Lisa, and to his many grandchildren, great-grand- child, friends, and all who feel his loss.