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Martin E. Segal

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


(click here to read the New York Times Obituary)

Officer, Board and Committee Memberships:

  • 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.

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.

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)

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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