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Martin E. Segal

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Born July 4, 1916 in Vitebsk, Russia.
Died August 5, 2012 in New York City.


(click here to read the New York Times Obituary)

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Officer, Board and Committee Memberships:

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  • Founder (1939), The Segal Company, international consultants and actuaries for employee benefit plans; President, 1939-1967;  Chairman, 1967-1991; Chairman Emeritus and consultant – 1991-2012

  • Founder and Chairman, Board of Directors – The New York International Festival of the Arts, Inc., 1985 until discontinuation in 2002

  • The American-Scandinavian Foundation – Trustee, 1986-1991; Advisory Trustee, 1991-2012

  • The ASCAP Foundation – Member of the Board of Directors, 1997-2003

  • American Theatre Wing – Member of Advisory Committee/Tony Voter, 2000-2008

  • Board of Hospitals, City of New York – Member of the Board, 1962-1970

  • City Center of Music and Drama, Inc. – Member, Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1971-1974; also Treasurer, 1974; Governor Emeritus – 1974-2012

  • Commission for Cultural Affairs of the City of New York (predecessor to Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs)– appointed by Mayor Beame as first Chairman, 1975-1977

  • Cultural Assistance Center (predecessor to Alliance for the Arts) – Founder and President 1974-1982; Chairman, 1982-1984; named Honorary Chairman in 1984

  • Film Guild of New York – Founder (1940-1941)

  • The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Inc. – Founding President and CEO, 1968-1978; Founder and President Emeritus, 1978-2012

  • The Glenridge Performing Arts Center, Sarasota, Florida – Member, Board of Advisors, 2004-2012

  • The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York – Member, Board of Visitors, 1983-1996

  • Member, Board of Trustees, The Graduate Center Foundation, Inc., 1996-2008

  • Vice Chairman, 2003-2008

  • Harvard University – Member, Visiting Committee, School of Public Health, 1979-1992; Member, Dean’s Council, School of Public Health, 1990-2006;

  • Member, Board of Advisors, Center for Health Communication Mentoring Program at School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 2003-2012

  • The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton – Trustee, 1972-1991 (positions included member of Executive Committee, Chairman of Finance Committee and Chairman of Review Committee); Trustee Emeritus, 1991-2012

  • The Library of America – Founding Advisor, 1984-2012; Sole Honorary Member of the Board of Directors, 2005-2012

  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. – Vice Chairman, 1978-1981;

  • Chairman, 1981-1986; Chairman Emeritus, 1986-2012

  • Mayor’s Committee on Cultural Policy, NYC – Chairman, 1974

  • The George Meany Center– Member, Board of Trustees, 2001-2010;

  • Trustee Emeritus, 2010-2012

  • Mount Sinai Hospital – Trustee, 1966-1970

  • Museum of Modern Art – Member, Board of Trustees, and Chairman, Exhibitions Committee 1978-1981 (retired from Board)

  • Musica Sacra – Member, Honorary Council, 2001-2012

  • National Building Museum – Member, Board of Directors, 1983-1991

  • National Urban League – Member of National Board, 1961-1970; Vice President,

  • 1967-1970; Chairman of the National Urban League’s First Equal Opportunity

  • Day Dinner, November, 1961

  • New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation – (Mayor Lindsay’s first appointee), Member of the Board, Chairman of Finance Committee and Member of Executive Committee, 1970-1972

  • Office for the Arts at Harvard – Member of Advisory Committee, 1993-1999;

  • Member of Council, 1999-2012

  • The Public Interest – Founding Member; Publication Committee, 1965-2002

  • (The Public Interest discontinued publication in 2005.)

  • Public Radio International (formerly known as American Public Radio) – Founding Member, Board of Directors, 1981-1994; Director Emeritus, 1994-1998; Counselor at Large – 1998-2012

  • Helena Rubinstein Foundation, Inc. – Member, Board of Directors, 1972-1995

  • S.L.E. Lupus Foundation – Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2012

  • The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. – Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2004; Member of Executive Committee, 2002-2004

  • The Studio In A School Association – Member, Advisory Board, 1988-2012

  • Theatre Development Fund – Member, Advisory Council, 1992-2012

  • Town Hall Foundation – Member, Advisory Council, 1986-2012

  • Young Audiences, Inc. – Member, National Board, 1979-2012

  • Mr. Segal was Organizing Co-Chairman of the International Conference on the Future of Arts Education – November 11-13, 1999

  • He was General Chairman of “Night of 100 Stars II” (first AIDS benefit – The Actors’ Fund of America– held on February 17, 1985).

  • In 1979, Mr. Segal was co-chairman of the mission to lay the basis for cultural exchanges between the United States and China via the Center for United States-China Arts Exchange; visited China with the U.S. delegation, as co-chairman, for this purpose (March 8-23, 1979). Mr. Segal served on the Advisory Council of the Center for United States-China Arts Exchange from 1982-1988.

  • He served on the Board of the Fund for the City of New York from 1978-1987 and was Chairman of its Public Service Awards Committee in 1978 and 1979.

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Mr. Segal was a Partner, Wertheim & Co. from1967-82 and President (1972-1975) and subsequently Chairman (1975-1982) of Wertheim Asset Management Services. He is a former columnist for the Associated Press.

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Honorary Degrees:

  • New York University – Doctor of Humane Letters (1988)

  • The Juilliard School – Doctor of Humane Letters (2006)

  • Graduate Center of The City University of New York – Doctor of Humane Letters (1979)

  • Mannes College of Music – Doctor of Music (1976)

  • Pratt Institute – Doctor of Humane Letters (1976)

  • Long Island University – Doctor of Humane Letters (1986)

  • Manhattan School of Music – Doctor of Music Honoris Causa (1999)

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Commendations and Awards (in order received):

  • International Film Importers and Distributors of America (1973)

  • The Municipal Art Society of New York – Certificate of Merit “for his innumerable contributions to the well-being of the City…” (1974)

  • Third Street Music School Settlement – Award for Service to Music (1981)

  • Museum of the City of New York – Annual Award of Distinction, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the cultural life of New York (1982)

  • Mayor’s Award of Honor for Arts and Culture – New York City (1982)

  • Concert Artists Guild Award (1983)

  • League of Women Voters of the City of New York Education Fund Award, in recognition of his leadership and public service to the cultural life of New York

  • City” (1984)

  • Royal Swedish Order of the Polar Star, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (1984)

  • Ministry of Culture of The French Government – Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters (1984-2005)

  • The International Center in New York, Inc. – Distinguished American of Foreign

  • Birth Award (1985)

  • Alumni and Friends of LaGuardia High School – annual Award for leadership in

  • the arts community (1985)

  • Alumni Association of the City College of New York – John H. Finley Medal (1985)

  • Board of Directors/Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – established annual Martin E. Segal Awards (1986)

  • Town Hall – Friend of the Arts Award (1987)

  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. – First Directors Emeriti Award (1987)

  • Songwriters’ Hall of Fame – Patron of the Arts Award (1988)

  • National Federation of Music Clubs – Presidential Citation (1989)

  • Creative Arts Rehabilitation Center – Public Spirit Award (1989)

  • New York State Governor’s Arts Award (1989)

  • The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York –

  • President’s Award (1990)

  • The National Arts Club – Medal of Honor (1992)

  • Lincoln Center Laureate Award (1997)

  • Museum of the City of New York – Our Town Treasure Award (1998)

  • Arts Roundtable – Award of Honor (1998)

  • Citizens Union of The City of New York – Civic Leadership Award (1998)

  • The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center – CUNY Graduate Center (2000)

  • The Acting Company – The Joan Warburg Humanitarian Award (2001)

  • S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Award (2001)

  • Alliance for the Arts – Honoree (2004)

  • The American-Scandinavian Foundation – Honoree, 2004

  • The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center – Honoree (2005)

  • New York Landmarks Conservancy – Living Landmark (2005)

  • Ministry of Culture of The French Government – Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (2005)

  • The American Academy of Arts and Letters – Presidential Citation of Distinction

  • (2009)

  • The American-Scandinavian Foundation – Award for Distinguished Public Service –

  • (2010)

  • Club Affiliations:

  • The Century Association

  • The National Arts Club

  • The Pilgrims of the United States

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