# Gordon Zacks

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{{short description|American businessman and presidential advisor}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Gordon Zacks
| image              = <!-- just the filename, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [brackets](/source/brackets) -->
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1933|3|11}}
| birth_place        = Indiana, U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2014|2|1|1933|3|11}}
| death_place        = near [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus%2C_Ohio)
| nationality        = 
| other_names        = 
| occupation         = Businessman
| boards             = [R.G. Barry Corporation](/source/R.G._Barry_Corporation)
| known_for          = 
}}

'''Gordon Zacks''' (March 11, 1933 – February 1, 2014) was an American businessman, author and presidential adviser.

==Life==
Born in [Indiana](/source/Indiana), Zacks lived in [Bexley, Ohio](/source/Bexley%2C_Ohio). He graduated from [Ohio State University](/source/Ohio_State_University).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/02/03/gordon-zacks-obit-compassionate-businessman-friend-to-israel.html|title=Gordon Zacks - 1933-2014: Compassionate businessman was friend to Israel|author=Collin Binkley|newspaper=[The Columbus Dispatch](/source/The_Columbus_Dispatch)|accessdate=24 November 2018|archive-date=9 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309191114/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/02/03/gordon-zacks-obit-compassionate-businessman-friend-to-israel.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Business==
His mother, [Florence Melton](/source/Florence_Melton), was an inventor and with Gordon's father started the [R.G. Barry Corporation](/source/R.G._Barry_Corporation): the world's largest supplier of comfort footwear.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/obituaries/14melton.html?pagewanted=print|title=Florence Z. Melton, 95, Creator of Slippers, Dies|first=Dennis|last=Hevesi|newspaper=The New York Times|date=14 February 2007|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> Zacks served as Chairman of the Board of R. G. Barry since 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.forbes.com/profile/gordon-zacks/66837|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207193620/http://people.forbes.com/profile/gordon-zacks/66837|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 7, 2009|title=Forbes Profile|website=People.forbes.com|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> He also served as President and Chief Executive Officer for 24 years until 2004, when he stepped down due to disappointing sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2004/03/08/daily22.html|title=Barry chief resigns|website=Bizjournals.com|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref>

==Politics==
An expert on the Middle East and staunch advocate of Israel, he served as an adviser to [George H. W. Bush](/source/George_H._W._Bush) in several capacities: from 1987 to 1988, he served as National Chairman of the Bush for President National Jewish Campaign Committee and Co-Chairman of the Bush for President National Finance Committee, he was Vice-Chairman of the Bush/Quayle National Finance Committee and Co-Chairman of the Middle East Policy Task Force, from 1991 to 1992 he served as Chairman of the US and Foreign Commercial Service Advisory Committee, he served on the President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation for thirteen years, and he served on the [George Bush Presidential Library](/source/George_Bush_Presidential_Library) Board of Trustees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.franklinleadershipcenter.com/leadership-resources/biographies?name=gordon-zacks|title=Loading|website=Franklinleadershipcenter.com|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> In more recent political history, he supported several Republican campaigns: he donated money to [George W. Bush](/source/George_W._Bush)'s 2000 presidential campaign and [John McCain](/source/John_McCain)'s 2008 presidential bid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/gordon-zacks.asp?cycle=08|title=Gordon Zacks - $5,000 in Political Contributions for 2008|website=Campaignmoney.com|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref>

==Author==
Zacks is the author of ''Defining Moments: Stories of Character, Courage, and Leadership '', a collection of essays on leadership, was published in 2006 by Beaufort Books. During the last month of his life, Gordon Zacks authored a second book called "Redefining Moments" which was scheduled to be published on July 14, 2014.

==Death==
In December 2013, doctors discovered that the prostate cancer that Zacks had suffered from for five years had spread to his liver. Zacks died at his home on February 1, 2014, aged 80.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/02/03/gordon-zacks-obit-compassionate-businessman-friend-to-israel.html|title=Gordon Zacks &#124; 1933-2014: Compassionate businessman was friend to Israel|access-date=2014-02-03|archive-date=2014-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309191114/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/02/03/gordon-zacks-obit-compassionate-businessman-friend-to-israel.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><!--  Gordon Zacks | 1933-2014: Compassionate businessman friend to Israel] ''The Columbus Dispatch'', February 3, 2014--><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epsteinmemorialchapel.com/obituaries/Gordon-Zacks/#!/Obituary|title=Gordon Zacks - View Obituary & Service Information|website=Epsteinmemorialchapel.com|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/republican-jewish-coalition-founder-gordon-zacks-dies/|title=Republican Jewish Coalition founder Gordon Zacks dies|website=Timesofisrael.com|accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zacks, Gordon}}
Category:1933 births
Category:2014 deaths
Category:Businesspeople from Indiana
Category:People from Bexley, Ohio
Category:Ohio State University alumni
Category:Businesspeople from Ohio
Category:American businesspeople in fashion
Category:Writers from Indiana
Category:Writers from Ohio
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:Members of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gordon Zacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Zacks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Zacks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.