Larry Weinberg

Larry Weinberg (January 23, 1926 – January 1, 2019)[1] was an American real estate developer who was one of the founders of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.

Larry Weinberg
Born(1926-01-23)January 23, 1926
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedJanuary 1, 2019(2019-01-01) (aged 92)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
EducationCornell University
University of Arizona
UCLA
OccupationReal estate developer
Known forOwner of the Portland Trail Blazers
SpouseBarbi
Children4

Biography

Born to a Jewish family in New York City, Weinberg served in the US 6th Army Group as an infantryman during World War II. He was severely wounded in combat in France and spent over a year recovering in a US military hospital.[2] He attended Cornell University, the University of Arizona, and the University of California at Los Angeles.[2] In 1948, Weinberg founded the Larwin Company serving as its CEO until he retired. By the late 1960s, Larwin Company became one of the largest privately owned housing companies in the United States until merging it into CNA Financial Corporation where it became one of the three largest housing producers with annual development of 8,000 residential units.[2] He went on to serve as a Member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of CNA from 1969 to 1980.[2] In 1950, Weinberg founded Com-Air Products, Inc. which designed, manufactured, and assembled the hydraulics, pneumatics and fuel assemblies used in jet engines and aircraft.[2]

In 1970, Weinberg, Herman Sarkowsky, and Robert Schmertz paid $3.7 million to secure an NBA expansion team for Portland.[3] Weinberg became president of the Trail Blazers in 1975, replacing Sarkowsky, who turned his attention to the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Two years later, the Trail Blazers won an NBA championship. Weinberg served as team president until 1988, when he sold the team to Paul Allen.[1] The Trail Blazers honored Weinberg in 1992 by retiring a #1 jersey with his name. Nonetheless, although no Trail Blazers had ever worn #1 before it was retired for Weinberg, nine Trail Blazers have worn #1 since, including: Rod Strickland (1993-2001), Derek Anderson (2002-2005), Jarrett Jack (2006-2008), Ike Diogu (2009), Armon Johnson (2011-2012), Jared Jeffries (2013), Dorell Wright (2014-2015), Evan Turner (2017-2019) and Anfernee Simons (2020-present).[4]

Weinberg served as president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.[5] Elected head of AIPAC in 1976 and leaving the role in 1982, Weinberg developed personal connections to Menachem Begin, developed acrimony towards Jimmy Carter, and forged an alliance with the Reagan White House. Weinberg brought in Tom Dine in 1980 and Steven Rosen as Dine's second-in-command as Dine's research director.[6]

After leaving his role as AIPAC president in 1982, Weinberg set himself the task of creating a Washington think tank to sculpt the ideas around Middle East policy.[6] Weinberg's wife Barbi was a founder of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.[7]

Weinberg was awarded the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.[2]

Weinberg died on January 1, 2019, at age 92.[8]

Notes
  1. Los Angeles Times: "Trail Blazers Are Sold to Seattle Businessman" June 1, 1988
  2. California Homebuilding Foundation: "2006 Nominee Lawrence Weinberg - Founder Americal Management Company, Inc., Columbia Group & Larwin Group Companies retrieved April 25, 2015
  3. Oregon Live: "Herman Sarkowsky, original co-owner of Trail Blazers who saved franchise with a timely phone call, passes away in Seattle" by Mike Zacchino November 3, 2014
  4. "Portland Trail Blazers Uniform Numbers".
  5. Alterman, Eric (October 23, 2006). "AIPAC Runs Right". The Nation. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  6. Goldberg, J. J. (1996). Jewish power : inside the American Jewish establishment. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley. pp. 220–222. ISBN 9780201622423.
  7. "Mission and History". Washington Institute website Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  8. Freeman, Joe (January 2, 2019). "Larry Weinberg, an original owner of Portland Trail Blazers, dies at 92". OregonLive.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
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