Bernard Goldberg (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Bernie" Goldberg (October 20, 1925 – August 27, 2010) was an American
businessman who co-founded Raymour Furniture, the furniture
retailer that would become Raymour & Flanigan
, in 1946 with his brother, Arnold Goldberg
.
. He dropped out of Princeton in order to enlisted in the United States Army
during World War II
. He was sent to France and Germany in the infantry during the war and was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal
. He returned to New York
following the end of World War II, where he received a bachelor's degree
from Syracuse University
in 1948.
. They did not name their new store "Goldberg" because another store in the city owned by their relatives already used their given name
. Instead, the brothers named their furniture store after an antiques shop in Long Island
which was owned and operated by another brother. Under Goldberg's ownership, the two brothers opened a second store in Clay, New York
, in 1972. The company acquired Flanigan's Furniture in 1990, which operated fourteen stores in upstate New York
at the time. The acquisition gave the company its present name, Raymour & Flanigan.
Bernard Goldberg remained the chairman of Raymour & Flanigan until his death in 2010. However, he suffered from deteriorating health, including Alzheimer's disease
during the later years of his life. His two sons - Raymour & Flanigan President
and CEO Neil Goldberg and Executive Vice President Steve Goldberg, as well as his nephew, Executive Vice President Michael Goldberg, succeeded him.
Additionally, Goldberg was a founding member of the Syracuse Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York and was a member of the board of directors for the New York State Division of Human Rights
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman who co-founded Raymour Furniture, the furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
retailer that would become Raymour & Flanigan
Raymour & Flanigan
Raymour & Flanigan is an American furniture retail chain, based in the Northeastern United States.-Overview:Raymour’s Furniture Company, the predecessor of Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, was established by brothers, Bernard Goldberg and Arnold Goldberg in 1946. Raymour & Flanigan Furniture is one...
, in 1946 with his brother, Arnold Goldberg
Arnold Goldberg
Arnold Goldberg is the Cynthia Oudejans Harris Professor of Psychiatry at the Rush Medical School, Chicago, and a supervising and training analyst at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, where he did his psychoanalytic training....
.
Early life
Goldberg graduated from Nottingham High School in Syracuse before enrolling at Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He dropped out of Princeton in order to enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was sent to France and Germany in the infantry during the war and was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
. He returned to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
following the end of World War II, where he received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in 1948.
Raymour & Flanigan
Bernard and Arnold Goldberg opened the first Raymour Furniture in 1946 in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. They did not name their new store "Goldberg" because another store in the city owned by their relatives already used their given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
. Instead, the brothers named their furniture store after an antiques shop in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
which was owned and operated by another brother. Under Goldberg's ownership, the two brothers opened a second store in Clay, New York
Clay, New York
Clay is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 58,805, making it Syracuse's largest suburb. The town was named after Henry Clay, statesman....
, in 1972. The company acquired Flanigan's Furniture in 1990, which operated fourteen stores in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
at the time. The acquisition gave the company its present name, Raymour & Flanigan.
Bernard Goldberg remained the chairman of Raymour & Flanigan until his death in 2010. However, he suffered from deteriorating health, including Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
during the later years of his life. His two sons - Raymour & Flanigan President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and CEO Neil Goldberg and Executive Vice President Steve Goldberg, as well as his nephew, Executive Vice President Michael Goldberg, succeeded him.
Additionally, Goldberg was a founding member of the Syracuse Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York and was a member of the board of directors for the New York State Division of Human Rights
New York State Division of Human Rights
The New York State Division of Human Rights is a New York State agency created to enforce the state's Human Rights Law. The law prohibits discrimination in the provision of housing, employment, credit, and access to certain public places based on specified protected characteristics, which include...
.