Jerry Zucker (businessman)

Jerry Zucker was born 24 August 1949 in Tel Aviv, Israel, one of three children born to Leon Zucker and Zipora Zucker (née Shlifkovitz), the other two being his older brother Jacob and his younger sister Rochelle. His parents were both Holocaust survivors. Zucker immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island in 1952.^[1] As a child, he lived in South Carolina, Florida, and New Jersey, where he attended Jewish day schools his parents helped found. As a young man, Zucker attended the University of Florida, majoring in chemistry, mathematics, and physics. He later earned an M.S. in electrical engineering.^[2] Zucker lived most of his adult life in Charleston, South Carolina.^[2]

Zucker was president and CEO of the InterTech Group.^[3] He was President and CEO of the Polymer Group at the time it acquired the Montreal-based Dominion Textile Company in 1997; he resigned from Polymer Group in 2003. In 2006, he acquired the Hudson's Bay Company of Canada, North America's oldest company (established by English royal charter in 1670) for $1.1 billion becoming its Governor (Company Chairman) and CEO. Aside from business Zucker was also a minority owner of the minor league hockey team South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL from 1995 until his death. Under his ownership, the team won the 1997 and 2001 Kelly Cup championship. He ranked #354 on Forbes 400 Richest Americans and #746 on Forbes Billionaire List 2006.^[4] In 2008, Forbes placed his wealth at $1.2 billion (~$1.71 billion in 2024) USD.^[5] Regarded as a highly accomplished inventor and philanthropist, Zucker held over 350 patents in his lifetime and donated millions of dollars to international medical missions as well as local charities.^[6]