About Us
Our Story
The Mandel Foundation was founded in 1953. Over the years, developing outstanding leaders has become our most important goal.
In the summer of 1940, the Mandel brothers – Jack, Joseph and Morton – pooled together $900 to purchase a small auto parts business from their uncle, Jacob Mandel, who moved to Chicago. From these secondhand fixtures, furniture and inventory remnants, the brothers launched Premier Automotive Supply – the humble beginnings of a highly successful worldwide company.
Timeline of the Mandel Foundation
Initially, the brothers had a modest goal of making a living as suppliers of common automobile replacement parts. But after Joe and Mort returned from service in World War II, they recognized that continued growth would require differentiating themselves from the competition. So, in 1947, they began asking customers which items were difficult to find, shifting their focus toward specialty parts that were less widely available. This was the start of the “find a need and fill it” philosophy and the commitment to superior service that would underscore the company’s growth for decades to come.
During the 1950s and 60s, the business expanded into multiple divisions and eventually was renamed Premier Industrial Corporation to encompass its expanded operations, research, and manufacturing throughout North America and Western Europe. Premier sold its first shares to the public in 1960 and became listed on the New York Stock Exchange just four years later, celebrating record earnings year after year for the next three decades. In 1996, the company merged with Farnell Electronics PLC, a British company, in a $3 billion transaction, creating one of the largest industrial and electronic component suppliers in the world.
Inspired by their mother, whose tenacity, integrity, and generosity served as guideposts for her children, the Mandel brothers’ commitment to civic engagement and philanthropy began at an early age and became a central tenet of their adult lives. They began donating to charities in the late 1940s and established their first charitable foundation in 1953. This philanthropic legacy has continued through the Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandel Foundation, still based in their hometown of Cleveland, Ohio – a few blocks away from their MidTown business roots. From the beginning, the Foundation has been a source of strategic direction and guidance for the initiatives and programs it supports, in addition to its role as a grantmaking organization.
The Mandel brothers also shared their business and leadership expertise as board members and executive leadership advisors for many high-impact organizations such as the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, United Way of America, and the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Independently or in partnership, they founded a dozen nonprofits dedicated to improving leadership in the social sector, re-investing in urban communities, and revitalizing Jewish education around the world.
Over time, Jack, Joe and Mort determined five key areas of engagement that would underscore their commitment to building just, compassionate and democratic societies in the United States and Israel, with a vision of improving the quality of life for all people in both countries. These include leadership development, management of nonprofits, humanities, Jewish life, and urban engagement. Through intentional grantmaking and operational development, the Mandel Foundation and its founders’ legacy continues to grow through leadership development programs and institutions in Cleveland, Boston, and Israel.
Our History
1913
A Young Family Separated by War
Rose and Simon Mandel’s three oldest children, Meriam, Jack, and Joseph were born in Poland just before the start of World War I. Seeking a better life for his family, Simon traveled to Canada in 1913 and the United States in 1915, planning to establish himself and bring his wife and children soon after. Once the war began, however, the family remained separated until 1920, when Rose and the children fled from violence and antisemitism in Poland to reunite with Simon in America.
1921
A Mother's Resilience
The Mandels’ fourth child, Morton, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. When Simon fell ill and was unable to work, Rose became a caregiver, bread winner, and role model for instilling life-long values that stayed rock solid regardless of circumstances. The older boys also worked after school and in the summer to help provide for the family. Despite these challenges, Rose always helped neighbors in need, a value that lay the foundation for the brothers’ future philanthropic efforts.
1940
Humble Beginnings
The Mandel brothers pooled together $900 to purchase the furniture, fixtures, and inventory remnants of a small auto parts business from their uncle, Jacob Mandel. This began the Premier Automotive Supply Company, later renamed Premier Industrial Corporation, as the company expanded and diversified.
1953
Philanthropy from the Start
As soon as they began earning income, the Mandel brothers knew that giving back to the community and the world would be a natural part of their company ethos. In 1953, they established the Premier Autoware Company Charitable & Educational Foundation. As their business success grew, so did the brothers’ commitment to philanthropy.
1960
Committed to Their Roots in Israel and Cleveland
The brothers focused much of their giving on addressing issues in their hometown, Cleveland. After visiting Israel in the 1960s and feeling connected to their Jewish roots, they also expanded their giving to Israel. To broaden their philanthropic reach, each of the three brothers established a private family foundation in 1963. Later, they established three supporting foundations of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. While each brother had his areas of interest, they would also come together to make larger gifts. Transformative donations during this time include a naming gift for the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University; the establishment of MidTown Cleveland, a community development agency in the neighborhood Premier first called home; and the restoration of the Jaffa Cultural Center, on the seam between Tel Aviv and Jaffa.
1988
A Time to Act
In response to anxieties concerning the future of Jewish life in the United States and Canada, Mort Mandel convened a commission of leaders across numerous sectors of the North American Jewish community in a mutual effort to improve the quality of Jewish education. The Commission’s report, A Time to Act, called for strengthening the Jewish education profession and mobilizing community support for Jewish learning. This research was the catalyst for the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute, a professional development program for Jewish educators launched in 1995.
1990
Connecting with Leadership in Israel
The Mandel Foundation-Israel (MF-I) was founded in 1990 with the goal of bringing together prominent scholars, researchers and planners from the fields of education and social leadership in Israel. MF-I quickly expanded with the establishment of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership in 1991 after Israel’s Minister of Education approached Mort Mandel with a challenge: he needed more highly qualified professionals to staff key positions in the Ministry. Since then, additional educational and social leadership programs have been developed serving diverse communities and groups throughout Israel.
1999
Becoming the Mandel Foundation
During the summer of 1999, the brothers reorganized their family philanthropy efforts into what is now known as the Mandel Foundation. Before this, their collaborative philanthropy occurred through the Mandel/Premier Philanthropic Program (through 1993) and later the Mandel Philanthropic Program. This institutionalized the Mandel Philanthropic Program and enhanced its viability. They wanted the Mandel Foundation to be a catalyst for strengthening the community and improving society. In particular, they wanted to invest in people with the values, capacity and passion to make positive change. As part of this strategic reorganization, the Foundation expanded its mission from being primarily a grantmaking organization and began operating its own programs. Their efforts were organized around the following priorities: Jewish education and continuity, nonprofit leadership and management, and urban neighborhood revitalization.
2007
Investing in Cleveland Neighborhood Leaders
Building on the success of Mandel Foundation-Israel, the Foundation desired to further its impact by designing and implementing more of its own programs. In collaboration with former Cleveland Mayor Michael White, the Foundation launched the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program in Cleveland, fostering the growth of engaged neighborhood leaders.
2010
New Era, New Leadership and a Name Change
The second decade of the new century brought exciting changes at the Foundation, beginning with the formal transition of the Mandel Foundation’s name to the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation to honor the three brothers. The Foundation also welcomed a new President, Dr. Jehuda Reinharz, who previously served as President of Brandeis University.
2012
It’s All About Who
Mort Mandel published his book, It’s All About Who, offering insights into his business and philanthropic philosophies. As featured in Forbes magazine and Bloomberg Business Week, It’s All About Who is part autobiography and part advice from over sixty years of successful leadership in business and philanthropy. In it, Mort shares his philosophy that getting the best possible people into key roles is the key to building a successful business or civic organization. A best-seller in Israel, It’s All About Who has been published in multiple languages. Mort’s emphasis on the importance of people, culture and values offers timeless wisdom for leaders everywhere.
2014
Investing in the Humanities
With the involvement of its new President, Jehuda Reinharz, the Foundation adopted a deeper focus on the vital role of humanities education in developing inclusive, compassionate, and democratic societies. Combining this new area of engagement with the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to improving quality of life for Cleveland residents, a gift of $3.6 million was made to Cleveland State University to establish the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Honors College and the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Chair in the Humanities while also providing merit scholarships for students attending the Honors College. A $10 million grant was also made to create the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Humanities at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C).
2017
Program Expansion in the United States
The Foundation continued to expand by creating the Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leadership in Boston, which now hosts three leadership programs, including the Executive Leadership Program, the Educational Leadership Program, and the Cultural Leadership Program.
2019
Reaching a Philanthropic Milestone
The Foundation reached $1 billion in total giving since the inception of the brothers’ philanthropic endeavors. After the passing of Mort Mandel, Stephen Hoffman, former President of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, became the Foundation’s first non-family Board Chair and Dr. Jehuda Reinharz, President, was also named CEO.
2020
New Headquarters for Mandel Foundation-Israel
Based on Mort Mandel’s vision that the Foundation needed a permanent residence that demonstrated its commitment to Israel, Mandel Foundation-Israel moved its operations to a new state-of-the-art building in Jerusalem. The building includes many gathering spaces, both inside and outside, to encourage interaction between faculty and fellows of the different leadership programs based there.
