Samuel D. Leidesdorf
Encyclopedia
Samuel David Leidesdorf, (1881-1968) internationally known accountant
, recently inducted into the CPA Hall of Fame.
Leidesdorf, an internally known accountant, was born on September 25, 1881 in New York City
. He attended the New York School of Accounting and Pace College. In 1905, he began his own accounting firm, S.D. Leidesdorf & Co., certified public accountant
s, which grew and eventually became one of the largest accounting firms in the nation. The 1915 New York City Directory shows him living at 302 West 79th and with the S.D. Leidesdorf Co office at 417 5th Avenue.. His World War I Draft Registration Card shows he had moved to 309 W 86th. In 1929, he helped arrange the sale of Newark-based
Bamberger's
department store, to the R.H. Macy
Co. Fortune Magazine recognized his company as a “Pioneering Firm” in 1932.
In 1931 he was on the executive committee of the American Jewish Committee
. He served on the State Council of Accountancy, from 1934 to 1942. When Einstein arrived in the US, Leidesdorf was his accountant. He soon began dedicating himself to what would become a lifetime of philanthropic endeavors for medical and educational institutions, and many other charitable causes, including the Red Cross, the United Jewish Appeal
, the Young Women's Christian Association
and the United Negro College Fund
. "In a letter written to Mr. S. D. Leidesdorf of New York, Rockefeller
solicited Leidesdorf to serve as a member of the Foundation Committee of the UNCF, working with W. D. Embree, the Chairman."
Mr. Leidesdorf was active in civic and community service and received numerous honors and awards, including an honorary degree as doctor of humane letters from Hebrew Union College
, the Medal of the National Fund for Medical Education, the Herbert H. Lehman Human Relations Award of the American Jewish Committee
and the Medal for Distinguished Service from the Protestant Council of the City of New York. In 1958, Mr. Leidesdorf received The Hundred Year Association of New York
's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York." He was a founding Trustee for the Institute for Advanced Study
.
In 1948, Mr. Leidesdorf began his tenure on the board of the New York University Medical Center serving as the first Chair of the Building Committee. Later he served as the Chair of the board from 1956 until his death on September 21, 1968.
He was chairman of the board of NYU Medical Center
from 1956 to 1968. At the time of his death in 1968, the firm he founded was in the top 10 of accounting firms in the United States. The company he started merged to become Ernst and Whinney in 1979 and Ernst and Young in 1989.
With his wife Elsa Grunwald, he had two children Helen and Arthur (1918-91). Arthur D. like his father, was a philanthropist. Arthur also married Tova, a prior beauty-contest winner and International Socialite, who continues his philanthropic work. Tova was honored in 2003 as "Woman of the Year" by the Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, recently inducted into the CPA Hall of Fame.
Leidesdorf, an internally known accountant, was born on September 25, 1881 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He attended the New York School of Accounting and Pace College. In 1905, he began his own accounting firm, S.D. Leidesdorf & Co., certified public accountant
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
s, which grew and eventually became one of the largest accounting firms in the nation. The 1915 New York City Directory shows him living at 302 West 79th and with the S.D. Leidesdorf Co office at 417 5th Avenue.. His World War I Draft Registration Card shows he had moved to 309 W 86th. In 1929, he helped arrange the sale of Newark-based
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
Bamberger's
Bamberger's
Bamberger's was a department store chain with locations primarily in New Jersey, but also Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania. The chain was headquartered in Newark, New Jersey.-History:Founded in 1893 by Louis Bamberger as L...
department store, to the R.H. Macy
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
Co. Fortune Magazine recognized his company as a “Pioneering Firm” in 1932.
In 1931 he was on the executive committee of the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
. He served on the State Council of Accountancy, from 1934 to 1942. When Einstein arrived in the US, Leidesdorf was his accountant. He soon began dedicating himself to what would become a lifetime of philanthropic endeavors for medical and educational institutions, and many other charitable causes, including the Red Cross, the United Jewish Appeal
United Jewish Communities
The Jewish Federations of North America , is an American Jewish umbrella organization representing 157 Jewish Federations and the Network of Independent Communities, 400 smaller Jewish communities across North America. The JFNA was formed from the 1999 merger of the United Jewish Appeal, the...
, the Young Women's Christian Association
Young Women's Christian Association
Young Women's Christian Association or YWCA or YWCA Building or Old YWCA Building or variations may refer to:*World YWCA, the organization formerly known as Young Women's Christian Associationor it may refer to:...
and the United Negro College Fund
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...
. "In a letter written to Mr. S. D. Leidesdorf of New York, Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
John Davison Rockefeller, Jr. was a major philanthropist and a pivotal member of the prominent Rockefeller family. He was the sole son among the five children of businessman and Standard Oil industrialist John D. Rockefeller and the father of the five famous Rockefeller brothers...
solicited Leidesdorf to serve as a member of the Foundation Committee of the UNCF, working with W. D. Embree, the Chairman."
Mr. Leidesdorf was active in civic and community service and received numerous honors and awards, including an honorary degree as doctor of humane letters from Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
, the Medal of the National Fund for Medical Education, the Herbert H. Lehman Human Relations Award of the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
and the Medal for Distinguished Service from the Protestant Council of the City of New York. In 1958, Mr. Leidesdorf received The Hundred Year Association of New York
The Hundred Year Association of New York
The Hundred Year Association of New York, founded in 1927, is a non-profit organization in New York City aimed at recognizing and rewarding dedication and service to the City of New York by businesses and organizations that have been in operation in the city for a century or more and by individuals...
's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York." He was a founding Trustee for the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
.
In 1948, Mr. Leidesdorf began his tenure on the board of the New York University Medical Center serving as the first Chair of the Building Committee. Later he served as the Chair of the board from 1956 until his death on September 21, 1968.
He was chairman of the board of NYU Medical Center
New York University School of Medicine
The New York University School of Medicine is one of the graduate schools of New York University. Founded in 1841 as the University Medical College, the NYU School of Medicine is one of the foremost medical schools in the United States....
from 1956 to 1968. At the time of his death in 1968, the firm he founded was in the top 10 of accounting firms in the United States. The company he started merged to become Ernst and Whinney in 1979 and Ernst and Young in 1989.
With his wife Elsa Grunwald, he had two children Helen and Arthur (1918-91). Arthur D. like his father, was a philanthropist. Arthur also married Tova, a prior beauty-contest winner and International Socialite, who continues his philanthropic work. Tova was honored in 2003 as "Woman of the Year" by the Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
Resources
- Hall of Fame induction
- Street named for him
- Leidesdorf Club
- IAS site
- Picture
- 1930 US Federal Census
- Social Security Death Index
- OneWorldTree
- World War I Draft Registration Card, published by ancestry.com
Further reading
- Biography Index. A cumulative index to biographical material in books and magazines. Volume 4: September, 1955-August, 1958. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1960. (BioIn 4)
- Biography Index. A cumulative index to biographical material in books and magazines. Volume 8: September, 1967-August, 1970. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1971. (BioIn 8)
- Who Was Who in America. Volume 5, 1969-1973. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1973. (WhAm 5)