Lawrence M Bellman

Lawrence Melvin Bellman passed away on May 10, 2024, in East Northport, NY. He leaves behind his loving and devoted wife of over 61 years, Eileen, and two children: Jerrold and Jeffrey. He is survived by his sisters, Gail Bellman and Sheryl Bellman. Larry is the beloved grandfather of four grandchildren: Benjamin, Louis, Sydney and Emma and father-in-law to Catherine and Deena.

Larry was born on April 11, 1938, at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan. He was the oldest of three children born to Sophie and Nathan Bellman, who were married in 1934. Nathan passed away in 1972 and Sophie in 1992.

Larry grew up in the Bronx, moving from Grand Avenue and West 181st St at birth, to 2084 Grand Avenue in his early childhood, and then to his grandmother, Yetta Abel’s house, at 2091 Davidson Avenue. There, he resided with his sisters Gail (born 1944) and Sheryl (born 1948). Larry attended PS 91 through 6th grade, then to PS 79 where he skipped a full year as part of the SP (Special Progress) class and went to DeWitt Clinton High School from 1951-1954. He graduated with a 90% average, qualifying him to attend the Baruch School of Business, City University of NY, with a four-year scholarship. His best friends during that era were Arnie Bernstein, Bobby Rupert, Jerry Rosenberg and Joe Solinsky. Larry graduated Baruch in June 1958 with a BBA degree. He was a founding member of the Carolan Guard, a military fraternity at CUNY. He attended Baruch College again at night while employed full-time from 1963 to 1968, earning an MBA. In 1990, Larry attended Pace University at night, and after eight grueling years of doctoral courses, dissertation development and defense (Using Personality Traits to Predict Communication Technology Use at Home), he received his Doctorate in Professional Studies from Pace in 1998. Larry was the Valedictorian for the Class of 1998, representing both undergraduate and graduate students, delivering an address in front of 2,500 students and guests at Radio City Music Hall.

During his undergraduate years, Larry supplemented his academic schedule with four years of R.O.T.C. where his highest rank was Cadet Sergeant. Colin Powell was the Cadet Colonel during his participation in the program. After graduation, Larry went to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, to finish his ROTC training and was commissioned in the Quartermaster Corps (QM) as a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1958. He went on Active Duty in January 1959 through July 1959 at Ft. Lee, Virginia, where he attended QM School and worked in Post Finance and Accounting. Larry began a 30-year career in the U.S. Army Active Reserve in 1960, joining the 77th Infantry Division as a member of the 1/307th Infantry, specifically, the Heavy Weapons Company. He was then assigned to the 5th of the 68th Armor of the 77th Division, which became the 6th of the 66th Armor. During this service, Larry served as a tank platoon leader and company Executive Officer. His drilling meeting places during that assignment included Patterson Reserve Center in the Bronx, Ft. Tilden in Brooklyn, and Ft. Stewart in Staten Island.

The 77th was disbanded in December 1965 and Larry was transferred to the 365th Civil Affairs Brigade, from 1966 to April 1978. In 1970, he was called to Active Duty during the Post Office strike in NYC. In 1978, he transferred to the 353rd Civil Affairs Command. Larry completed thirty years of military active and reserve service on August 30, 1998, rising progressively in positions of responsibility to Full Colonel and Deputy Commander of the 353rd.

During his tenure, Larry was instrumental in developing a Memorandum of Understanding between U.S. and German Territorial Forces to protect against invasion by Russia during the Cold War. Some of his other achievements were directing over 1,200 Civil Affairs Reservists to support domestic improvement projects in Dutchess and Putnam Counties within New York State and working at the Pentagon to improve Army Reserve channels of communication and project evaluation techniques. He earned Expert and Marksmanship medals with a .45 caliber pistol, rifle and 3.5 in. rocket launcher.

His medals and awards include the Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Achievement Medal with Hourglass and Mobilization Pin, National Defense Medal, Reserve Components Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Legion of Merit. He was later awarded New York State’s Distinguished Service Medal. During his Army career, Larry graduated from Civil Affairs Officer Career Course, US Army Command and General Staff College, and the prestigious U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa.

Larry’s first job was with Inland Chemical in 1959. His efforts there resulted in an award from the federal government for a water-soluble anti-rodenticide concentrate which was used in Louisiana to address infestation issues. He then joined Saks Fifth Avenue in their management training program, working as a service manager at their flagship department store. He went on to work as a Life Underwriter for Penn Mutual Life, and in 1968, joined Honeywell Information Systems in sales, rising to Branch Sales Manager in Manhasset, Long Island. Larry was a consistent Pace Setter for four consecutive years before his promotion. He left Honeywell in 1973 to join Ampex Corporation as a Regional Manager through 1977. During his tenure his efforts resulted in Ampex being awarded a $25mm GSA contract to provide the government with plug-compatible computer memory for IBM, DEC, and Univac computers.

From 1977 to 1980, Larry worked for Intel Corp as a Regional Sales Manager, doubling annual sales in his region from $3mm to $6mm in two years. From 1980 through 1984, Larry worked for Sidereal as a Eastern Regional Manager and then as Federal Marketing Manager, building sales from $0 to $2.5mm in two years, and increasing commercial sales from $250,000 to $2.5mm in two years. In 1984, he joined TRT Communications, a telecom carrier, as a sales Director, where he grew a sales staff from 25 to over 100 reps and increased sales from $5mm to $36mm. He occupied the position of top Sales Director for 24 consecutive quarters.

After a brief stay at a software startup, Larry joined Graphnet, a telecom carrier in 1991 through mid 1998, when he retired from the commercial world to spend his full-time efforts as a college professor. During his tenure at Graphnet, Larry taught college marketing and business courses at Hofstra University.

From 1998 to 2006, Larry taught at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University, where he directed the Rennert Entrepreneurial Institute and developed and taught all their entrepreneurship courses. He was responsible for the immensely successful CEO speaker series, attracting the likes of Sumner Redstone, Michael Bloomberg, David Neeleman, James Tisch and many others. He developed and administered a very successful annual Business Plan competition for students, where $10,000 in prize money was awarded. He also innovated online courses and taught several courses through teleconferencing. During this time, specifically 2001 – 2003, he also taught several marketing courses at Pace University. From 2006 – 2009, Larry was promoted to Associate Professor and taught full-time at Touro College’s Graduate School of Business, where he administered and taught their entrepreneurship classes, and developed and operated a business incubator where fledgling businesses were mentored during their startup phase. He also founded and was a Managing Partner in Touro’s Center for Israeli Innovation. Larry also conducted fee-based seminars for would-be entrepreneurs. From 2009 to 2017, Larry taught entrepreneurial and management courses as an Associate Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University.

During his academic career, Larry published numerous articles and spoke at many educational conferences. His articles were published in Business Horizons, Review of Business, Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, and over 35 business articles for the Jewish Press.One of Larry’s greatest joys was the theater. He acted since the early 1970’s in over 85 productions, principally for the Township Theater Group. He eventually also took on the role of Director for Lantern, TTG, and Ivy Lane Players Long Island community theater groups. Larry has served as Business Development Chair for Township theater Group and was responsible for securing several lucrative sponsorships and business alliances. To culminate what was his main joy, at age 84, Larry played his last role as Antonio in the BACCA Art Center’s production of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Larry was married for over 61 years to Eileen, whom he first met in Atlantic City, in 1961, and became engaged in February 1962. Larry and Eileen married on September 9, 1962, and first lived in Rego Park, where their oldest son, Jerrold Michael, was born on August 9, 1963. They lived in two separate apartment residences in Flushing Queens until 1969, with Jerrold and their second son, Jeffrey Lance, born on July 16, 1968. The Bellman’s moved into their first home in Willingboro, New Jersey, in 1969, and with the

Honeywell promotion in 1972, bought their current home residence in East Northport, Long Island.

During their growing years, Larry introduced his sons to skiing and made family trips to the beach and vacations in the Caribbean. He and his wife have traveled extensively throughout Europe via cruises and land trips.

Larry will be deeply missed by his family, his many theater friends, and will always be remembered in their hearts as a man full of life, vitality, and a warm smile.