Max Fisher at home July 10, 1998. Detroit News photo by Jack Gruber

Born in Pittsburgh in 1908 to Russian Jewish immigrants, Max Fisher grew up in Salem, Ohio, where his father owned a clothing store. He attended The Ohio State University on a football scholarship and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1930. That same year, Mr. Fisher joined his father’s oil business in Detroit before launching his own company years later. Mr. Fisher grew his company to be one of the largest gas station chains in the Midwest. Years later, in 1959, Mr. Fisher sold his company to Aurora Gasoline, a corporation he would chair for 27 years. When Aurora was later sold to Marathon Oil, Mr. Fisher invested his fortune in real estate upon retiring from business in 1963. He became a prominent leader in the Jewish community, both at home in Detroit and around the globe. A notable statesman and philanthropist, Mr. Fisher served as an advisor for numerous presidents and forged ties between Washington and Israel during crucial moments in history such as the Six Day War. Additionally, he chaired or served on countless boards and raised over $100 million for Jewish-American charities. The namesake of the Max M. Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, and a recipient of more than 50 awards and honors, Mr. Fisher will long be remembered for his principled business and civic leadership, unwavering dedication to Detroit and impassioned advocacy for the future of Jewish people worldwide.

A case study commissioned by The Fisher College of Business describes Mr. Fisher in the following way: “[Mr.] Fisher was an extraordinarily skilled and uniquely qualified leader. He was called ‘a builder of bridges’ more than once in his long and storied career — a reputation he earned through his strategic, typically quiet influence-building. His ability to build consensus where little, if any, had previously existed played a key role in his businesses, his community and philanthropic involvements and his roles in government and politics. Behind all of his responsibilities and accomplishments was an unwavering commitment to his country, his values, and the deeply held belief that his business training, entrepreneurial spirit and service to the greater community were intrinsically linked.”