Sam Isaacson, founder of Gemline, passed away on Jan. 27 after a short illness. He was 89.
Always the entrepreneur, in 1957 he left his family’s business and founded Gem Giftwares. Beginning as a distributor, he sold promotional items to school photographers until the mid-1960s, when he started selling gas station premiums.
He was one of the early industry pioneers, traveling to Asia to source products, starting with Korea and Taiwan. In 1973, as a result of the oil shock, he pivoted the company again, supplying travel bags to distributors who were selling to travel agencies. This laid the groundwork for Gemline, which his son, Jonathan Isaacson, has owned and run successfully since 1994.
While Isaacson was proud of his business, he was even more proud of his family, with five children, 20 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He was committed to his community and his heritage, and was deeply involved in his synagogue.
He loved being with people, whether at home, work or in the community. He will be warmly remembered and missed by all whose lives he touched. Funeral services and Shiva will be private.
For more information on Gemline, visit www.gemline.com.
