A successful businessman, a philanthropic leader, a deeply-committed Jew, and loving father, Gene wore many hats throughout his lifetime; and many of them simultaneously. But despite Gene’s tremendous success, building a name for himself was far from easy. He started with nothing, and worked hard for his achievements—sometimes working day and night to accomplish his goals. Through all the hard work, Gene’s wife, Marcia, and his family were his rock, always supporting his ambitions.
Eugene Applebaum
Up until Gene’s passing in 2017, he continued to be vested in something—whether it was a new community project, philanthropic initiative or simply being a strong role model and mentor for his family and emerging leaders. He always wanted to make a difference and inspired others to do the same.
Gene hoped that "the people who write history remember him and the other leaders of his time as a group that did all they could to keep the legacy going and make the community great."
He truly believed that with hard work, integrity and a big heart, anything is possible.
“[Growing up, my dad] was a phenomenal role model. He always felt very strongly about taking care of the generation before you and he made sure we were all involved in caring for both his and our mother’s parents. Caring for family was always really important to him and that transfers to the whole community at large. You can’t just take care of yourself. You have to take care of others.”
The Making of a Leader
"I was 10 years old when I experienced my first spark of philanthropy. Since then, giving back has just been a part of who I am."