Some people are, simply, a force. They may not always know it, or see themselves that way, but that’s the impact or influence they have on other people.
Al Berg, one of the co-founders of Marchon back in 1983 and then its president and CEO for some 25 years, was the visionary eyewear executive who was one of those forces for me. When I came to this business in 1988 as editor of a then-one-year-old business publication here at Jobson, covering a zooming, complicated business and not knowing a soul, Al was someone I gravitated to. He was quick, funny, a New Yorker like me, observant, driven, brave and passionate about business. He also seemed to ‘get’ me. He understood what we were trying to do, writing about a business that was growing in many directions, in leaps and bounds. He was fascinated by that, he was energized by it, sometimes very pro and sometimes con (!) and, man, he let me know it.
Over the years, even before we became friends, he challenged, he criticized, he wondered, he checked, he would sometimes yell, sometimes question, and always let me know what he thought. But he also gave me credibility and tons of support, and I so appreciated that. His sensibilities raised the bar for me. They pushed me. I don’t know if he realized that’s what he was doing, but he motivated me and what my colleagues and I did here, at our company that was always willing to anticipate new things, carve out new turf, and propel our business as the industry grew.
I didn’t always realize that impact when we were in the thick of it, but it was truly characteristic of a time in the optical business when all arrows pointed up. Entrepreneurs gave the sleepy frame business so many new dynamics. And they were building direct sales forces, signing on and bringing in new brands, redefining things with something called marketing and new notions of service -- and chasing a retail and professional and customer base that was expanding.
The world was getting smaller and bigger at the same time. And Al really saw that. He taught me, like he taught so many who he worked with, that there were different ways of doing things, he wanted to learn, he prided himself in seeing the possibility of things, taking risks although looking around corners. And then charging ahead.
In recent years, as the industry kept changing and as he got involved in other things, we kept up our talks and I cherish those. I share that with many folks who were lucky enough to know him and keep up the dialog. He loved to talk, hear, debate, ask.
It’s an impossible good-bye. But that force is still with me.
Vision Monday shares our condolences and memories of
Al Berg with many colleagues and friends here:
From some of the designers he worked with:
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“Al Berg was a true visionary. He saw the potential
and ran with it. It was always exciting to work with
Al.” -Calvin Klein
“Al Berg was a true visionary, a brilliant businessman
and a very kind man. He will be missed.”–Diane
Von Furstenberg | “Al was an innovator who had tremendous impact in
the industry. When I started Sean John, Al was
someone who embraced the brand he was more than
a partner he was a friend. Our relationship evolved to
him becoming a trusted advisor, who was always
there. Al will truly be missed." –Sean “P.Diddy”
Combs |
From many he worked with in the industry, outside of Marchon:
“Simply put, Al Berg changed our industry, in particular, the way eyewear companies market themselves--how they build and position their brand portfolios, appeal to the consumer and romance their companies' story/heritage, "At the same time, Al also had a tremendous impact on so many of us in the industry. His strategic leadership, innovative vision, mentoring skills and philanthropic spirit made so many us better at what we do each and every day. I'd also have to say, that made us better people as well." -Marc Ferrara, CEO of Jobson's Information Services
“Al was special. Being in a room with him, a meeting, it was easy to figure out who the smartest guy in the room was. It was Al, not me or my colleagues. We only had a chance because Al was fair, and he had a big heart. Al was a part of the industry when it came of age, and the big personalities drove it forward. Al was right there at the front of the line.” –Robert S. Amato
“Al Berg was a member of The Vision Council board for many years. His fellow board members will forever remember him for his intellect and ability to quickly assess problems and lead discussions that brought solutions. Our industry and our association benefited greatly from Al’s volunteer leadership and genuine commitment to support and grow our industry.” –Ashley Mills, CEO, The Vision Council
“I sat beside Al for many years on The Vision Council board of directors, then reported to him when I became the CEO of The Vision Council,. While his list of accomplishments runs long, one of his greatest must be his role in ensuring the success and viability of Vision Expo West. Without Al, the show would be very different today. The industry would not be the same today without Al's influence and wisdom.” -Ed Greene, retired CEO, The Vision Council
“Al was a central figure of our industry throughout his career, including his role in crafting The Vision Council as an effective tool with which to advance eyecare and the business associated with it. His leadership was impactful and unselfish. Al’s influence was both deep and broad, his advocacy strong and sensible. Al Berg was one of the good guys, who made us all better.
"Al was also wonderful guy to have as a competitor, open, generous, and helpful most of the time. We had our competitive moments, such as in the days of carbon fiber eyewear. But we never made our sales competition personal, being sure to respect the value of our friendship. In the formative days of The Vision Council we worked closely (along with Harvey Ross, Claudio Gottardi, Andrea Gluck, and Giuseppe Servidori) to ensure the eyewear members were well positioned within the organization. Al was savvy and strategic, one of those leaders able to anticipate and see around corners. As a friend, he was fun, engaging, loyal, smart, and someone you could always count on.” -Mike Hundert, immediate past chair, The Vision Council
“I had the honor of working with Al Berg and his team for many years, both at the Accessories Council and in my former role as director of special events at QVC. I was always impressed with the way Al embraced a creative approach, non-traditional marketing and innovation. He encouraged his team to think big and supported them with the budgets to execute. He was a staunch supporter of the optical and accessory industry. Most importantly, he was a wonderful man, charitable, kind and available.” –Karen Giberson, president, Accessories Council
"From one of our first meetings, Al and I quickly became friends. I admired the company he and Larry and Jeff built. Even though I competed with him when I had Viva, he was such a smart marketing guy. He helped market the company early on, to make it bigger than it was. He magnified the business and then they grew it into that. In terms of the association, it was Claudio Del Vecchio, then of Luxottica, who asked me and Al to join him at VICA and to help make Expo a really good show. We had some lively meetings back then. -Harvey Ross, HMR Holdings
“Al was a very smart executive that I always respected for his intelligence and political ability. He was the first executive of an American eyewear company to be able to export his business internationally and successfully so! I often miss our interactions as both leaders in industry associations and as fierce competitors." –Claudio Del Vecchio, president, Brooks Brothers
“Al was a friend, competitor and mentor. He truly cared about me and my family, and we were able to spend some good times together. He was a fierce competitor, never afraid to get on the phone and have a hard conversation , but after that , he could easily switch to ‘So, how is your Mom doing?’ He was made to be a mentor, challenging others all the time and moving them along in their careers and in life. Loyalty in the relationship was paramount.” –David Friedfeld, president, ClearVision Optical
“Al was an amazing person who accomplished his major goals: number one, a great family, number two, a great business and number three, great friendships. I was so proud to have been a close friend and will miss him very much.” –Barry Ballen, president and CEO, Gilbert
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“Al was my customer, who taught me what customer service is all about. With Al, there was no room for mediocrity, he gave the best and expected nothing less. Going the extra yard made a difference that he recognized and acknowledged. He was always willing to listen, brainstorm, talk things through and never hesitated to give his ‘opinion.’ Al loved his association, The Vision Council and the Vision Expo shows with passion. His passion quickly became my passion and mission! He embraced the shows like he did his wedding, and his kids’ Mitzvahs and weddings -- they all equaled Big Events. Who could ever forget any of the Marchon parties? Al was a strong force behind the shows, he valued their importance and believed all companies benefited by showcasing their products together under one roof. He was a true visionary that helped form what the Vision Expos are today. He loved the debate and challenged the best of us to go beyond the norm; we rose to the challenge and all became better and stronger for it. I have so many fond memories of Al, here and abroad, I was lucky to be a part of his life and to know Al as my mentor and my friend. He leaves a big hole in the industry and in my heart." –Val Scott, Reed Exhibitions
“Many years ago when Marchon was being formed, I happened to be on a flight with Al, Larry and Jeff on the way back from Mido. This was before they were in business and everyone knew that the Avant-Garde crew was going back into business. I happened to ask Al what the name of their new company would be and being good at keeping secrets, he wouldn’t tell me. He gave me a sly smile and a ‘You’ll find out.’
"Many years later, after the company got sold, I bumped into him in a restaurant on Long Island and he came over to my table disguised as the waiter with a towel draped over his arm. The people we were with had no idea who he was because he tried to put an Italian accent in his greeting. I congratulated him on his conquest and he was very appreciative and humble as usual. It was easy to see that he was the salt of the earth” –Roger Shyer, ESE Int’l
“Marchon and Block Buying Group were both founded in 1983. About one year later, Marchon wanted to become a vendor for Block. We were skeptical because Marchon was so new and unknown as a frame supplier. Honestly, we were hesitant to move forward with them. After a period of time I received a call from Al Berg. He told me that not working with them would be biggest the mistake I’d ever make! So we brought them onboard and he was 100% correct.
“In knowing him over 30 plus years I would liken him to the M&M’s at the Marchon booth. Tough exterior but soft on the inside.” – Michael Block
“I love colorful eyewear and Al was one of the most colorful personalities in eyewear. Al had that rare combination of book smarts and street smarts. During nearly 20 years of working together, we had many knock-down, drag-out fights and Al was certainly fond of "colorful" language. Yet afterwards it would be as if no blood had spilled and we both loved the passion that fueled those intense conversations. Working with Al will remain one of the highlights of my career!” -Robert Marc, Robert Marc Eyewear
“So many cherished “Al Berg” anecdotes witnessed as scribe/friend. Here’s one. We’re meeting Diane Von Furstenberg outside the Javits Center in prep for a Vision Expo appearance at the Marchon booth. Al tells her the crowd might be a bit unruly and the exhibition hall is uncomfortably steamy. Berg is smiling like a shy boy in awe of his knockout prom partner. Diane turns to him and says, “Be calm, dear man. I’m here with YOU… the best date a girl could possibly have!” She so totally meant it. She so totally got it right. I will forever admire and miss Al Berg.” -James J. Spina, 20/20 Senior VP, Editor in Chief
From many former Marchon colleagues:
“The story of a life can be nice or it can be extraordinary. Al Berg, who passed away yesterday was my boss for 25 years and lived an extraordinary life. Al leaves hundreds, if not thousands, of people behind better off for having met him.
“Al and his partners, Larry and Jeff created an amazing company that manufactured and distributed a product that has been around since ancient China, eyeglass frames. The product they offered was pretty much the same as the ancient China product yet, they turned their company into a never dull experience for employees, accounts, and vendors.
“Al has passed over to join his partner Jeff, who died in 2005. When these two boys, as they were known in the eyewear industry meet up at the pearly gates, I am sure the party will be unforgettable.” -Donna Rollins
“When I joined the Marchon family at 23, I had no idea that I would stay for 30 years, that I would make so many life-long friends, that I was entering Al Berg's School of Business. From him I learned to have vision and to execute that vision with passion, to work tirelessly, to treat others with love and respect, to fight for the things that matter, to never ignore the "little guys", to never give up and to never stop learning. He inspired an entire industry and we will miss him!" –Victoria Hallberg, Safilo USA
“Al was a rare leader who fostered a highly creative environment. He aimed to be first, signing world class brands from the USA and Europe, thinking globally and championing innovative marketing. He took responsive risks and most often succeeded. Al, along with his brand and business partners established Marchon as one of the most admired eyewear companies. It was an honor to be part of the Marchon family. Al, thank you with all my heart, you will be deeply missed.” -Robert Schienberg
“Al was a world-class entrepreneur because he possessed the rare mix of traits required to be one. He could visualize a better world; conceive a strategy to realize it; and execute the plan to achieve it. He had the passion and need to build great things; the courage to take great risk; and the indomitable will to persist despite criticism and set-back. He was an inspirational leader whose tough exterior masked a compassionate heart and a great sense of humor. He assembled talented people; demanded much and received more. At some level we knew he put getting the right answer for the organization ahead of every other consideration, including his own needs, comfort and self.
“Al possessed strong, conflicting traits that rarely exist in any one person: He was a fierce competitor yet a compassionate friend; a brilliant strategist who managed minutiae well; a tough leader who tried to hide a warm heart; an uncompromising debater willing to be swayed by good argument; an innovator willing to copy; an optimist with healthy paranoia; a seeker of truth who held firm to preset notions; a builder of long term excellence that contributed to short term chaos; a strong ego willing to defer to the needs of the organization; an intense work ethic married with a love of irreverent fun. The harder he drove his people and the more he expected from them, the more loyalty and respect he engendered.
“I worked with Al every other week for 13 years and never saw him deviate from his authentic, passionate drive to build an excellent company, full of great people accomplishing impossible things. He never compromised or cut corners or did anything in half measure. Al had incredible and uncompromising levels of courage, strength, passion and integrity and never shrank from saying what he felt to be true or doing what he felt to be right. I have worked with many successful entrepreneurs in my life, and Al is without doubt the best. This is true based on many different measures: the equity value realized, the enduring culture that was built, and by the genuine loyalty, respect and passion of the people that he led. Al is also the only person I have ever known who could work the “F” word three or four times into a single sentence, and have it make perfect sense. He taught me life-long valuable lessons that transcended business, and that remain with me to this day. Knowing and working with him was a gift.” –David Chute, i2C Ventures
“24 years ago, Al changed my life by bringing me to Marchon. I joined because of him. He touched so many people. His presence and passion would always fill a room. He was hard because he wanted your best. It he loved all his team. And with Jeff and Larry, they created a lasting legacy that we carry forward today.” – Andy Skitmore
“Al Berg hired me 29 years ago. The most important thing he told me was something that his mother said to him as he was going away to college. ‘You can be anything you want to be, you can start a new life.’ I started a new life with Marchon, once my children started college, it is never too late and I am so fulfilled with my life at this moment. Thank you, Al, for all your encouraging words, I will miss you!” –Deb Rich, Marchon
“Our Marchon family and the world lost an incredible human being - Al Berg. He was and always will be the epitome of a highly respected leader. A larger than life man who when entering a room or stepping up to a mic had the utmost respect and attention of everybody in that room. With a heavy heart I am blessed to have worked with a true legend in our field and in many peoples’ hearts. Good bye ole friend." –Tom O’Toole, Marchon
“I was introduced to Al, Larry & Jeff (ALJ) in 1999 by Mike Cleary, Marchon’s IBM Client Executive at the time. Mike and I were best friends since the 7th Grade. He saw how much time I was spending on the road away from family and friends as an IT consultant. Mike was an amazing friend, he was always on the lookout for opportunities for me to get off the road and work on Long Island. When ALJ (Al, Larry, Jeff) decided to go out and hire a CIO he immediately introduced me to The Boys and gave me a great recommendation. We also sadly and unexpectedly lost Mike on November 15, 2018. I will be forever grateful to Mike for the introduction. It changed my life in so many positive ways.
“I met with Jeff, then Larry and finally Al. I will always remember telling Al how I learned a lot about the mass customization of products at IBM and how excited I was to bring the concept to the eye wear industry. He immediately said, “Slow down big fella, we will be teaching you the eyewear business from the ground up and it is not as simple as it looks from the outside.” He was absolutely right. In the last twenty years I have seen many people from outside our industry underestimate its complexity.
“Al was a tremendous teacher and mentor. I have learned a lot from many of my bosses, but Al was by far the one I learned the most from. Although he had a unique teaching style, no pain no gain, it was extremely effective. Al took a chance on a 37-year-old first time CIO and provided me with the opportunity to grow together with the business. I am forever grateful that they took that chance.
“Al’s passion for the business was infectious. He was one of those rare leaders that made you want to run through walls for him. I learned so much about leadership and decision making from Al. I always think about Al’s Action / Reaction approach to decision making and his warning to not create Frankenstein when developing joint venture partnerships.
"I told him recently that I did remember working with him and the rest of the leadership team to develop the Marchon Vision / Mission statements. Those of us from outside the industry, from places like IBM, were pushing him to develop these and during the process he became very frustrated and said: “It is very simple our vision/mission is EXECUTION. Execute or be executed!” When I told him this story he said, “I love it!” He was grinning from ear to ear.
“Being a part of Marchon is not something you participate in and move on from. Marchon becomes part of who you are and courses through your veins throughout your career. I will never be able to thank Mike, Al, Larry and Jeff enough for allowing me to be part of it.
“Godspeed Al. You were the gold standard for leading with passion and purpose. You will be sorely missed by all of us who loved you.” –Jim McGrann, HEA, Healthy Eyes Advantage
“I met Al Berg nearly 40 years ago when the Marchon Company was founded. In all these years spent together, building Marchon under his leadership, have been the most enlightening, inspiring and fulfilling working experience. A truly unique entrepreneur with a vision, passion, determination, integrity, relentless mentor, as well as a man with a big heart. A very special person that I was blessed to meet. The legacy that Al has left to all that have had the good fortune to know and work with him is invaluable. An example to many and hard to follow.” –Giancarla Agnoli
“Al Berg had a larger than life personality. His opinions were always firm and unshakable. As a competitor, I learned to respect his company's fast and innovative reactions. As a colleague, it was impossible to misunderstand his opinions, he was sincere and direct. As his successor, I was proud, but knew how difficult it would have been to follow in his footsteps.
“Everyone that had a chance to work with him will continue to carry his memory in our hearts! – Claudio Gottardi
"It is rare that one comes across a force in their life that has such a profound affect on their future - both professionally and personally. That force was Al Berg - a man among men who raised the bar simply by being at the bar. I will never forget his boundless curiosity, his sage counsel and his larger than life personality - he touched so many lives in so many incredible ways and did it with humor, with humility and with love." –Mark Ginsberg, VSP Global
“I was their first hire and I had never met Al until the day we interviewed each other. I immediately fell for this guy. I decided on the spot that this person was going somewhere big and I was hitching my wagon to his train. Twenty five years later (AUG 2008) was the sale to VSP.
“Al was a tremendous person. He had a way of extracting everything you had to achieve success. He was a problem solver and taught all of us to solve problems not fix them. I have heard people say he was a visionary. Not sure if I would label him that way, as he was a man of many talents. He always put the customer first and we built the company to provide best service and product at reasonable pricing. That formula today still lives in the company and VSP provides all of us the tools to carry it forward. He knew how to have fun and we had a ton of it over the years…too many stories to tell!
"Al’s goal was to sell the company to someone who would protect the values of what Marchon stood for and the people who worked so hard to make it happen. He and Larry made the deal of a lifetime with the VSP sale. VSP got a great company and Al was able to live out the last ten years of his life with enjoyment and knowing he did the right thing.
"I am so thankful that he passed through my life. Thirty five years later and a lot of memories but I am giving back in every way that he taught me to make Marchon the best.” –Dave Padgett, Marchon
From just some of his family:
"Not sure if you know this, but my dad had three children. Jarret, myself, and Marchon Eyewear. Growing up it was very clear, dad loved all 3 of us equally, though it was clear Marchon was the breadwinner.
"Dad had an amazing way of making everything into a business/life lesson. In my family, you have to speak up. He would challenge us to be better and always provided every counter-argument to any conversation."
"My dad taught me how important it was to pursue my dreams. He told us “sorry, but there are to be no kids in the business, which means you have to find what makes you happy.” He forced us to pursue our dreams and pushed us to find our passion. “If you find your passion, you won’t feel like you are working,” he said. So when I was younger we used to watch a lot of TV together. It was a way for us to do an activity without him getting out of bed. He thought it would be fun to watch and analyze his favorite TV shows. We would discuss storylines and what I thought would happen next? My mother called us blip and blop. She thought it was ridiculous that we would just sit and watch TV for hours and hours and hours. Over time, I realized this was actually my passion. To sit and analyze television. He’s the reason I now work in TV development."
"My dad worked harder than anyone I know. He poured most of his energy into his business which as you know, paid off. Most people do not know this story. August 2008 we were called to have a family dinner. This was the night he was preparing to tell us he was officially selling Marchon and how proud he was. And as we are preparing to cook this lobster feast as a family, the power goes out. The irony in that one of the most exciting moments in my dad’s life where he could finally brag to us about his life’s work, he was humbly brought back down to earth. We had to cook lobsters using Sterno lamps and ate by candlelight that night. He turned it into a lesson of course. About never getting too cocky or overly confident. It reminded us that in one moment, everything can be stripped away and to never take anything for granted." -Carly Berg, Al’s daughter
"Dad was a man of action and though I never was formally an employee of Al Berg, Inc., I’m not sure he ever knew. He was extremely driven and generous with his time. If you had his ear, he would analyze and problem-solve the thorniest of issues on the yellow legal pad. He’d scramble the chess board on your behalf and then challenge you to solve. He would take your ideas and torch them in the crucible of his mind. Every twist and turn he would strategize like the chess master he was. Once resolved, his challenge was a directive to go out and DO. And do it well, and not to merely continue talking or complaining about cards dealt in an unfair world.
"Dad was a big believer in the serenity prayer, about strength, and choosing one’s battles. Some of my proudest and most memorable achievements came after Dad challenged me to prove him wrong in that moment. If we didn’t always love Dad’s management style, it may have been the kick in the ass we all needed. But whatever the method, he was almost always right: Successes come through relentless dedication to the cause, a lot of hard work, and a little luck.
"Dad was talking about 10,000 hours 10,000 hours ago: About loving what you do, honing your skills, taking responsibility for your own successes and failures, and being the best you." - Jarret Berg, Esq., Al's son
“Some people leave this world a better place than they found it. Alfred Kit Berg was one of them. Of course, with a name like that you already know that you are either dealing with an extra-ordinary individual or one very rare bird. I’ll leave it up to each of you to decide which it is. I’ll just say I think it’s a mixture of both!
"If I am going to be really honest with all of you, then you need to also know that although I may have been the love of Al’s life -- Al loved business too. And it wasn’t just his business that he loved — any and every business he happened to encounter anywhere anytime. Al was the consummate entrepreneur who not only saw everything thru a business lens but offered his advice to anyone smart enough to take it. He was a marketing maverick of sorts having nurtured and grown one of the largest global eyewear companies. I always used to tease him that I just couldn’t understand how he could be such a marketing guru when he rarely walked into a retail store to buy anything.
“However, that never stopped him from being an extremely generous guy. Al was a person with a big heart and he never hesitated to put his money where his mouth was. The result has been that he has been able to do tremendous good in the world as a philanthropist and collaborator on a variety of worthy projects. The sorts of things that actually make a real difference in the lives of vast amounts of people. He has been an incredible inspiration to me and our children and has taught us by example what it really means to give.” -Gayle Berg, Al’s wife
From someone who worked with him on some very special projects:
“I’ll never forget the first time I met Al Berg. I asked him to donate eyewear to an upcoming charity auction we were having in NYC. There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation and before I knew it, a package came full of stunning sunglasses. Oh yeah, and a check. Al did things in a big way, and with little prodding. He WANTED to contribute.
“The second time I met Al, he asked me for a favor. It wasn’t a personal favor- it was a favor to his synagogue and to his UJA-Federation chapter on Long Island; would I arrange a screening of ‘Schindler’s List’ and speak as well. I hated speaking publicly but I knew how important this was to Al and how impactful this would be in his community. I could not and would not say no to Al.
“That was the start- a give and take, but not for personal gain. A laugh, a great conversation, a feeling of being with a longtime friend- that’s how it felt when we met over 25 years ago.
“When I met Al, I had not started on my own personal journey in the documentary world. When I decided to produce Above and Beyond (aboveandbeyondthemovie.com), about the Israeli Air Force, and I spoke to Al about it, he was giddy with excitement. He pushed me forward when I hesitated. He introduced me to people, he gave me pointers on what to include in the story, and he wrote a check. And then he wrote another check. He came on board as our executive producer- watching rough cuts of the film, giving us notes, telling us where he felt the movie strayed or was having an identity crisis. And, when the film was finished and had incredible success on the festival circuit, he asked “What about the educational version? You need to teach our children.” And we set off again to do just that. He was in it with both feet and a full heart. And we were so grateful for every step and every check!
"When we started production on Who Will Write Our History, our latest film which just opened a couple of months ago, he prodded us with the smart questions, the sharp remarks. He helped us fine tune the film. He was almost overwhelmed by the story and the misery that these people in the Warsaw Ghetto had suffered. He took it personally and he wanted others to react and respond as he did. ‘Do something. Don’t let this human suffering exist. Fight the anti-semitism. Teach our children.’ His last act of kindness as our executive producer was to underwrite a global simultaneous screening of the film this past January. He knew that we could reach thousands, perhaps millions. Al, once again, did things in a big way. We were so very proud to feature his and Gayle’s name on every screen in 55 countries. He was tearfully grateful that his legacy would include the messages in these films and that they would continue to thrive and be seen even in his absence. And we will continue to feel his presence every time we see those end credits roll across big screen.” -Nancy Spielberg, Playmount Productions
Services Held for Vision Industry Visionary, Al Berg