Alvin Cramer Segal (September 19, 1933 – November 4, 2022), previously Alvin Cramer, was an American-born Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He was chairman and chief executive officer of Peerless Clothing, a men's

suit A suit, also called a lounge suit, business suit, dress suit, or formal suit, is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles generally worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt su ...

manufacturer.

Early life

Alvin Cramer was born in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

, as the son of George Cramer and Betty Pearson. He attended the Arnold Avenue School in

Amsterdam, New York Amsterdam () is a city in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,219. The city is named after Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The city of Amsterdam is bordered on the northern and ea ...

then School No. 16 in Albany, and next the Irving Prep School for Boys. His father had died when he was seven, and when he was fourteen his mother married Moe Segal and moved to

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. He passed grades nine and ten at Stanstead College, then entered grade eleven at the

High School of Montreal The High School of Montreal was an English-language high school founded in 1843, serving Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in the area eventually known as the Golden Square Mile. It was less formally known as Montreal High School and from 1853 to 1870 was ...

, where he was joined by his sisters Connie and Harriet. At that time, his sisters changed their name from Cramer to Segal, his stepfather's name, but he continued to be known as Cramer until some years later. He did not graduate from high school, as he failed in French, which was a compulsory subject in Montreal.

Career

At age 18 he started a job on the shop floor of the Peerless Clothing company. He eventually rose to become company president and owner, and transformed the company into a major maker of men's suits for both Canadian and American markets.

Personal life and death

Segal died on November 4, 2022, at the age of 89.

Honours

In 2002, Segal was made a Member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

in recognition for being "a visionary entrepreneur" and an "outstanding spokesperson and leader for the apparel industry in Canada". In 2010, he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada for having "set an example of corporate philanthropy". In 2011, he was made an Officer of the

National Order of Quebec The National Order of Quebec ( French: ), also known as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Governor Jean-Pierre Côté granted royal assent to the (Natio ...

. He also received a Doctor Honoris Causa of Hebrew University (2015).

References

1933 births 2022 deaths American emigrants to Canada Businesspeople from Montreal Canadian philanthropists High School of Montreal alumni Officers of the Order of Canada Officers of the National Order of Quebec Stanstead College alumni American philanthropists Canadian Jews {{Quebec-bio-stub