Irven "Jack" Brod (November 29, 1909 – January 6, 2008) was an American businessman and

innovator Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entity ...

. He was the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

of Empire Diamond and Gold Buying Service, a New York City-based

jewelry Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...

business, which he established with his father in the

Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from " Empire State", the nickname of the ...

two months after its opening in 1931. Brod was a

tenant Tenant may refer to: Real estate *Tenant, the holder of a leasehold estate in real estate *Tenant-in-chief, in feudal land law *Tenement (law), the holder of a legal interest in real estate *Tenant farmer *Anchor tenant, one of the larger stores ...

of the Empire State Building for around 77 years, and was the last remaining original tenant at the time of his death.

Early life

Brod was born in

Newnan Newnan is a city in Metro Atlanta and the county seat of Coweta County, Georgia, about southwest of Atlanta. Its population was 42,549 at the 2020 census, up from 33,039 in 2010. History Newnan was established as county seat of Coweta Cou ...

, Georgia to parents who emigrated from Russia and changed their last name from "Brodsky". Brod attended the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publ ...

, although he did not continue his studies after moving to New York City with his family prior to graduation. Before partnering with his father, Alexander, in leading the Empire Diamond and Gold Buying Service, Brod was employed as a

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...

, among other professions. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, after forming the business in New York, Brod served in the Army Air Corps as a

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...

. He was assigned by the Corps to England, where he loaded

bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...

s into aircraft. During his assignment, he purchased rare antiques and collectibles from the formerly-wealthy owners of English houses who had suffered due to the war and the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Brod shipped the items back to the United States by boat for sale and private collection.

Professional career

The

was opened by U.S. President

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...

on May 1, 1931. Two months later, on July 1, 1931, Brod and his father moved into the seventh floor and established what became the Empire Diamond and Gold Buying Service (commonly known as Empire Diamond), making use of the name of the building it occupied for radio advertising purposes. The first office was in area, and at the time of the establishment of the business, work was still being completed on the interior of the building in the

lobby Lobby may refer to: * Lobby (room), an entranceway or foyer in a building * Lobbying, the action or the group used to influence a viewpoint to politicians :* Lobbying in the United States, specific to the United States * Lobby (food), a thick stew ...

and the upper parts of the tower. Following his duties in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Brod returned to his business. He innovated, producing new ideas including one of the earliest jewelry catalogs and a toll-free telephone service for diamond orders. During Brod's life, his business moved locations within the tower, moving up as the business succeeded. His company moved up to the 14th floor, before relocating to the 15th and then the 66th. During 2001, Brod invested in another move—to the 76th floor—which was the final before his death in 2008. Brod was, as of 2008, the longest-ever tenant of the Empire State Building, and was also the last of the original tenants to end tenancy in the building (either through death or relocation to another site).

Personal life

Brod had an interest in boating, and sailed well into his 80s. He owned a boatyard on City Island in

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, and also owned a boat production factory in

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic Canada, Atlantic region. The province comprises t ...

, Canada. He was married and divorced three times, and was survived by two sons and two daughters, and three grandchildren. Brod died at his home in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

on January 6, 2008, at the age of 98.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brod, Jack 1909 births 2008 deaths American business executives United States Army Air Forces soldiers United States Army personnel of World War II American jewellers Empire State Building