Photo by Don Pollard

Born July 4, 1916 in Vitebsk, Russia. Died August 5, 2012 in New York City.
(click here to read the New York Times Obituary)

Officer, Board and Committee Memberships:

Founder (1939), The Segal Company, international consultants and actuaries for employee benefit plans; President, 1939-1967;  Chairman, 1967-1991; Chairman Emeritus and consultant – 1991-2012

Founder and Chairman, Board of Directors – The New York International Festival of the Arts, Inc., 1985 until discontinuation in 2002

The American-Scandinavian Foundation – Trustee, 1986-1991; Advisory Trustee, 1991-2012

The ASCAP Foundation – Member of the Board of Directors, 1997-2003

American Theatre Wing – Member of Advisory Committee/Tony Voter, 2000-2008

Board of Hospitals, City of New York – Member of the Board, 1962-1970

City Center of Music and Drama, Inc. – Member, Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Committee, 1971-1974; also Treasurer, 1974; Governor Emeritus – 1974-2012

Commission for Cultural Affairs of the City of New York (predecessor to Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs)– appointed by Mayor Beame as first Chairman, 1975-1977

Cultural Assistance Center (predecessor to Alliance for the Arts) – Founder and President 1974-1982; Chairman, 1982-1984; named Honorary Chairman in 1984

Film Guild of New York – Founder (1940-1941)

The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Inc. – Founding President and CEO, 1968-1978; Founder and President Emeritus, 1978-2012

The Glenridge Performing Arts Center, Sarasota, Florida – Member, Board of Advisors, 2004-2012

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York – Member, Board of Visitors, 1983-1996

Member, Board of Trustees, The Graduate Center Foundation, Inc., 1996-2008
Vice Chairman, 2003-2008

Harvard University – Member, Visiting Committee, School of Public Health, 1979-1992; Member, Dean’s Council, School of Public Health, 1990-2006;
Member, Board of Advisors, Center for Health Communication Mentoring Program at School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 2003-2012

The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton – Trustee, 1972-1991 (positions included member of Executive Committee, Chairman of Finance Committee and Chairman of Review Committee); Trustee Emeritus, 1991-2012

The Library of America – Founding Advisor, 1984-2012; Sole Honorary Member of the Board of Directors, 2005-2012

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. – Vice Chairman, 1978-1981;
Chairman, 1981-1986; Chairman Emeritus, 1986-2012

Mayor’s Committee on Cultural Policy, NYC – Chairman, 1974

The George Meany Center– Member, Board of Trustees, 2001-2010;
Trustee Emeritus, 2010-2012

Mount Sinai Hospital – Trustee, 1966-1970

Museum of Modern Art – Member, Board of Trustees, and Chairman, Exhibitions Committee 1978-1981 (retired from Board)

Musica Sacra – Member, Honorary Council, 2001-2012

National Building Museum – Member, Board of Directors, 1983-1991

National Urban League – Member of National Board, 1961-1970; Vice President,
1967-1970; Chairman of the National Urban League’s First Equal Opportunity
Day Dinner, November, 1961

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation – (Mayor Lindsay’s first appointee), Member of the Board, Chairman of Finance Committee and Member of Executive Committee, 1970-1972

Office for the Arts at Harvard – Member of Advisory Committee, 1993-1999;
Member of Council, 1999-2012

The Public Interest – Founding Member; Publication Committee, 1965-2002
(The Public Interest discontinued publication in 2005.)

Public Radio International (formerly known as American Public Radio) – Founding Member, Board of Directors, 1981-1994; Director Emeritus, 1994-1998; Counselor at Large – 1998-2012

Helena Rubinstein Foundation, Inc. – Member, Board of Directors, 1972-1995

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation – Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2012

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. – Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2004; Member of Executive Committee, 2002-2004

The Studio In A School Association – Member, Advisory Board, 1988-2012

Theatre Development Fund – Member, Advisory Council, 1992-2012

Town Hall Foundation – Member, Advisory Council, 1986-2012

Young Audiences, Inc. – Member, National Board, 1979-2012

Mr. Segal was Organizing Co-Chairman of the International Conference on the Future of Arts Education – November 11-13, 1999

He was General Chairman of “Night of 100 Stars II” (first AIDS benefit – The Actors’ Fund of America– held on February 17, 1985).

In 1979, Mr. Segal was co-chairman of the mission to lay the basis for cultural exchanges between the United States and China via the Center for United States-China Arts Exchange; visited China with the U.S. delegation, as co-chairman, for this purpose (March 8-23, 1979). Mr. Segal served on the Advisory Council of the Center for United States-China Arts Exchange from 1982-1988.

He served on the Board of the Fund for the City of New York from 1978-1987 and was Chairman of its Public Service Awards Committee in 1978 and 1979.

Mr. Segal was a Partner, Wertheim & Co. from1967-82 and President (1972-1975) and subsequently Chairman (1975-1982) of Wertheim Asset Management Services.

He is a former columnist for Associated Press.

Honorary Degrees:

New York University – Doctor of Humane Letters (1988)

The Juilliard School – Doctor of Humane Letters (2006)

Graduate Center of The City University of New York – Doctor of Humane Letters (1979)

Mannes College of Music – Doctor of Music (1976)

Pratt Institute – Doctor of Humane Letters (1976)

Long Island University – Doctor of Humane Letters (1986)

Manhattan School of Music – Doctor of Music Honoris Causa (1999)

Commendations and Awards (in order received):

International Film Importers and Distributors of America (1973)

The Municipal Art Society of New York – Certificate of Merit “for his innumerable contributions to the well-being of the City…” (1974)

Third Street Music School Settlement – Award for Service to Music (1981)

Museum of the City of New York – Annual Award of Distinction, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the cultural life of New York (1982)

Mayor’s Award of Honor for Arts and Culture – New York City (1982)

Concert Artists Guild Award (1983)

League of Women Voters of the City of New York Education Fund Award, in recognition of his leadership and public service to the cultural life of New York
City” (1984)

Royal Swedish Order of the Polar Star, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (1984)

Ministry of Culture of The French Government – Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters (1984-2005)

The International Center in New York, Inc. – Distinguished American of Foreign
Birth Award (1985)

Alumni and Friends of LaGuardia High School – annual Award for leadership in
the arts community (1985)

Alumni Association of the City College of New York – John H. Finley Medal (1985)

Board of Directors/Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – established annual Martin E. Segal Awards (1986)

Town Hall – Friend of the Arts Award (1987)

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. – First Directors Emeriti Award (1987)

Songwriters’ Hall of Fame – Patron of the Arts Award (1988)

National Federation of Music Clubs – Presidential Citation (1989)

Creative Arts Rehabilitation Center – Public Spirit Award (1989)

New York State Governor’s Arts Award (1989)

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York –
President’s Award (1990)

The National Arts Club – Medal of Honor (1992)

Lincoln Center Laureate Award (1997)

Museum of the City of New York – Our Town Treasure Award (1998)

Arts Roundtable – Award of Honor (1998)

Citizens Union of The City of New York – Civic Leadership Award (1998)

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center – CUNY Graduate Center (2000)

The Acting Company – The Joan Warburg Humanitarian Award (2001)

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Award (2001)

Alliance for the Arts – Honoree (2004)

The American-Scandinavian Foundation – Honoree, 2004

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center – Honoree (2005)

New York Landmarks Conservancy – Living Landmark (2005)

Ministry of Culture of The French Government – Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (2005)

The American Academy of Arts and Letters – Presidential Citation of Distinction
(2009)

The American-Scandinavian Foundation – Award for Distinguished Public Service –
(2010)

Club Affiliations:
The Century Association
The National Arts Club
The Pilgrims of the United States