Joel Smilow

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Joel Smilow
OccupationBusinessman
Known forCEO of Playtex; philanthropy

Joel E. Smilow is an American philanthropist and former CEO of Playtex.

Early life[edit]

Joel Smilow was born in Washington, D.C.[1] He graduated from Yale University in 1954. As a student, he was sports director at the campus radio station, WYBC. While he did not play football, he was a strong supporter of Yale's team.[2] He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and served in the Navy.[1]

Career[edit]

Smilow, an executive of Esmark/Beatrice, purchased its Playtex division in the late 1980s. He kept Playtex and sold Max Factor to Ron Perelman of Revlon.[3] Smilow led Playtex through four leveraged buyouts between 1985 and 1988.[4] during which he earned $186 million. He spun out Platex's bra business, Playtex Apparel, for Playtex to focus on tampons and baby bottles.[5] He retired in 1992[6] and stepped down as chairman in 1995.[7]

He was Daniel Boulud's sole partner for the chef's first restaurant, Daniel, opened in 1993 with an investment of $2 million.[8]

Philanthropy[edit]

Smilow is a major donor to Yale University athletics. His 1989 endowment of the football head coach position was the university's first. In 2003, he endowed the head coach positions for men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's lacrosse. Another gift expanded and renovated the Lapham Field House as the Smilow Field Center.[2] He received the Yale Medal in 1992 for service to the university.[2]

He is the lead donor and namesake for the 14-story Smilow Cancer Hospital in the Yale New Haven Hospital, his largest donation.[2][9] New York University School of Medicine's Joan and Joel Smilow Research Center opened in May 2006.[10]

He is the Boys and Girls Clubs' largest living donor[1] and was the lead donor for a Bridgeport location.[11] Smilow has also donated to charter schools including a network in Washington, D.C., and expansions of the Achievement First schools in New Haven.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Zahn, Brian (October 1, 2016). "Achievement First grows operations with $2.5 million Smilow gift". New Haven Register. EBSCOhost 2W6935804253.
  2. ^ a b c d Marazzi, Rich (August 5, 2014). A Bowl Full of Memories: 100 Years of Football at the Yale Bowl. ISBN 9781613216835.
  3. ^ Basten, Fred E. (April 15, 2012). Max Factor: The Man Who Changed the Faces of the World. ISBN 9781611451351.
  4. ^ Piven, Frances Fox; Cloward, Richard (February 8, 2012). Regulating the Poor: The Functions of Public Welfare. ISBN 9780307814647.
  5. ^ Rehfeld, Barry (December 19, 1993). "Profile: Thomas H. Lee; In Takeover Games, Nice Guys Don't Always Finish Last". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  6. ^ Segal, David (May 16, 2009). "From Frisée to Finance, It Has to Be Perfect". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  7. ^ "Business Digest". The New York Times. March 21, 1995. ISSN 0362-4331.
  8. ^ Brenner, Leslie (December 15, 2010). The Fourth Star: Dispatches from Inside Daniel Boulud's Celebrated New York Restaurant. ISBN 9780307757296.
  9. ^ Heffernan, Robert V. (May 17, 2013). Cancer's Gifts with Love & Hope. ISBN 9781475990614.
  10. ^ "NYU School of Medicine Unveils New Research Center". Buildings. 100 (7): 8. July 2006. ISSN 0007-3725. EBSCOhost 22733284.
  11. ^ Sullivan, Rob (July 25, 2011). "For the boys - and girls - in Bridgeport". Fairfield County Business Journal. 47 (30): 8. ISSN 0898-9818. EBSCOhost 63989678.

Further reading[edit]

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