Difference between revisions of "Bernard Weissbourd"

Revision as of 10:16, 4 February 2010

Bernard (Barney) Weissbourd SB'41, JD'48, a researcher, attorney, and developer, died November 2, 2000 in Evanston, IL. He was 78.

He is survived by his wife, Bernice Weissbourd, a daughter, Ruth Weissbourd Grant, three sons, including Robert M. Weissbourd Burt Weissbourd and Rick Weissbourd^[1].

Education

Bernard Weissbourd was a graduate and valedictorian of Senn High School. He entered the University of Chicago on a full scholarship at the age of fifteen; he earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry and was invited by Chancellor Robert Hutchins to attend the University of Chicago Law School on a full scholarship; Mr. Weissbourd excelled in law school, and also served as editor of the law review.

University of Chicago

Weissbourd enjoyed a life-long connection with the University of Chicago, beginning at age 15 when he received a full scholarship to attend the College. In these first years, Weissbourd was captivated by the University's intellectual life, his concentration in chemistry, and especially his study of the classics, a staple of the curriculum in the Hutchins era. When he graduated in 1941, he entered the law school. WWII interrupted his studies, but he remained at the University, having been assigned to work on the Manhattan Project, where he contributed to the discovery of an element. At the war's end, he returned to the law school and became an editor of the Law Review before graduating in 1948. He served the University as an active member of the Board of Trustees and as Trustee Emeritus until his death in 2000^[2].

Army/Manhattan Project

Bernard Weissbourd entered the United States Army during his first year of law school. The United States was involved in World War II when Mr. Weissbourd received a note asking him to return to Chicago where a professor who had taught Mr. Weissbourd had recommended him for a part in the Manhattan Project; during his involvement he invented new equipment for the detection of elements and participated in the discovery of plutonium.

Back to Law School/legal career

Bernard Weissbourd returned to law school after his service ended, where he graduated at the top of his class; from 1948 to 1959 he served as a partner in the Antonow and Weissbourd law firm^[3].

Real estate

Weissbourg was asked to take over Herb Greenwald's real estate development company, which he renamed Metropolitan Structures. The firm developed many of Chicago's famous buildings, including One Illinois Center, the Essex Inn, the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the Mercantile Exchange Center, and Buckingham Plaza, as well as Nuns Island in Montreal.

Under his leadership, Metropolitan Structures became the nation's largest commercial real-estate firm^[4].

In 1971, his company had $3.5 billion of work in progress, most of it notable for design quality. Included were new towns near Aurora, Ill., and Montreal, redevelopment in downtown Baltimore and a billion-dollar apartment-office-store complex near Chicago's Loop^[5].

Political influence

Bernard Weissbourd campaigned for Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, wrote position papers for President Jimmy Carter and presidential candidate Walter Mondale, and held SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee) meetings in his backyard^[6].

Family Focus and more

Together with his wife Bernice Weissbourd and Irving Harris he co-founded Family Focus, a community-based, family support program. He also founded the Center for Psycho-Social Studies, now the Center for Transcultural Studies, an international center dedicated to cross-cultural understanding^[7].

References

[1] ttp://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html

[2] ttp://societyoffellows.uchicago.edu/conferences/familyvalues/weissbourd.shtml

[3] ttp://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0901LV.html

[4] ttp://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html

[5] ttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,942726-2,00.html

[6] ttp://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0901LV.html

[7] ttp://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0901LV.html

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[2]

[3]

[4]

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[6]

[7]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''Bernard (Barney) Weissbourd''' SB'41, JD'48, a researcher, attorney, and developer, died November 2, 2000 in Evanston, IL. He was 78.
-He is survived by his wife, [[Bernice Weissbourd]],  a daughter, [[Ruth Weissbourd Grant]],  two sons, including [[Robert M. Weissbourd]]<ref>http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html</ref>.
+He is survived by his wife, [[Bernice Weissbourd]],  a daughter, [[Ruth Weissbourd Grant]],  three sons, including [[Robert M. Weissbourd]]     [[Burt Weissbourd]] and [[Rick Weissbourd]]<ref>http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html</ref>.
-==Manhattan Project==
+==Education==
-Weissbourd studied chemistry as an undergraduate, then interrupted his law training at Chicago to enlist in the Army during World War II. He was soon recruited for the [[Manhattan Project]], inventing equipment to detect elements<ref>http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html</ref>.
+Bernard   Weissbourd   was   a   graduate  and valedictorian of Senn High School.  He entered the  University of  Chicago  on  a full scholarship at the age of fifteen; he earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry and was  invited by  Chancellor  [[Robert  Hutchins]]  to attend the University of Chicago Law School on  a  full  scholarship;  Mr.  Weissbourd excelled  in law school, and also served as editor of the law review.
 ==University of Chicago==
-Weissbourd enjoyed a life-long connection with the University of Chicago, beginning at age 15 when he received a full scholarship to attend the College. In these first years, Weissbourd was captivated by the University's intellectual life, his concentration in chemistry, and especially his study of the classics, a staple of the curriculum in the Hutchins era. When he graduated in 1941, he entered the law school. WWII interrupted his studies, but he remained at the University, having been assigned to work on the Manhattan Project, where he contributed to the discovery of an element. At the war's end, he returned to the law school and became an editor of the Law Review before graduating in 1948. He served the University as an active member of the Board of Trustees and as Trustee Emeritus until his death in 2000 at the age of 78<ref>http://societyoffellows.uchicago.edu/conferences/familyvalues/weissbourd.shtml</ref>.
+Weissbourd enjoyed a life-long connection with the University of Chicago, beginning at age 15 when he received a full scholarship to attend the College. In these first years, Weissbourd was captivated by the University's intellectual life, his concentration in chemistry, and especially his study of the classics, a staple of the curriculum in the Hutchins era. When he graduated in 1941, he entered the law school. WWII interrupted his studies, but he remained at the University, having been assigned to work on the [[Manhattan Project]], where he contributed to the discovery of an element. At the war's end, he returned to the law school and became an editor of the Law Review before graduating in 1948. He served the University as an active member of the Board of Trustees and as Trustee Emeritus until his death in 2000<ref>http://societyoffellows.uchicago.edu/conferences/familyvalues/weissbourd.shtml</ref>.
-==Business career==
+==Army/Manhattan Project==
-After the War Weissbourd returned to the Law School; after ten years in a Chicago law practice, Weissbourd was asked to take over a development company for which he had served as counsel. Under his leadership, Metropolitan Structures became the nation's largest commercial real-estate firm<ref>http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html</ref>.
+Bernard Weissbourd  entered  the  United  States Army  during  his first year of law school. The United States was involved in World War II when Mr. Weissbourd  received  a note  asking  him  to return to Chicago where a professor who had taught Mr. Weissbourd had recommended him for a  part  in the Manhattan Project; during his involvement he invented new equipment  for  the detection of elements and participated in the discovery of plutonium.
+==Back to Law School/legal career==
+Bernard Weissbourd returned to law school  after  his  service  ended,  where  he  graduated  at the top of his class; from 1948 to 1959  he  served  as  a  partner  in  the Antonow  and  Weissbourd  law firm<ref>http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0901LV.html</ref>.
-Weissbourd was President of Chicago-based firm, Metropolitan Structures, which in 1971 had $3.5 billion of work in progress, most of it notable for design quality. Included were new towns near Aurora, Ill., and Montreal, redevelopment in downtown Baltimore and a billion-dollar apartment-office-store complex near Chicago's Loop<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,942726-2,00.html</ref..
+==Real estate==
+Weissbourg was asked to take over Herb Greenwald's real estate development  company,  which  he renamed  Metropolitan  Structures. The firm developed many of Chicago's famous buildings, including  One  Illinois  Center, the  Essex  Inn,  the  Hyatt  Regency Chicago, the Mercantile  Exchange Center, and Buckingham Plaza, as well as Nuns Island in Montreal.
+Under his leadership, Metropolitan Structures became the nation's largest commercial real-estate firm<ref>http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0108/class-notes/deaths-print.html</ref>.
+In 1971, his company had $3.5 billion of work in progress, most of it notable for design quality. Included were new towns near Aurora, Ill., and Montreal, redevelopment in downtown Baltimore and a billion-dollar apartment-office-store complex near Chicago's Loop<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,942726-2,00.html</ref>.
+==Political influence==
+Bernard Weissbourd campaigned for Chicago  Mayor Harold  Washington, wrote position papers for President Jimmy Carter and presidential candidate Walter  Mondale,  and  held [[SNCC]] ([[Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee]]) meetings in his  backyard<ref>http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0901LV.html</ref>.
+==Family Focus and more==
+Together  with  his wife [[Bernice Weissbourd]] and [[Irving Harris]] he co-founded Family Focus, a  community-based,  family  support program.   He  also  founded  the  [[Center  for  Psycho-Social Studies]],  now  the  [[Center  for  Transcultural  Studies]],   an international     center    dedicated    to    cross-cultural understanding<ref>http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet91/hrgroups/hr/910HR0901LV.html</ref>.
 ==References==
 <references/>