Bernard Goldberg (businessman)

Bernard Goldberg (October 20, 1925 – August 27, 2010) was an American businessperson who co-founded the furniture retailer Raymour Furniture (which later became Raymour & Flanigan) in 1946 with his brother, Arnold Goldberg.^[1]

Goldberg graduated from Nottingham High School in Syracuse, New York before enrolling at Princeton University.^[2] He dropped out of Princeton in order to enlist in the United States Army during World War II.^[2] He was sent to France and Germany in the infantry during the war and was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal.^[2] He returned to New York following the end of World War II, where he received a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University in 1948.^[2]

Bernard and Arnold Goldberg opened the first Raymour Furniture in 1946 in Syracuse, New York.^[1] They did not name their new store "Goldberg" because another store in the city owned by their relatives already used their surname.^[1] Instead, the brothers named their furniture store after an antiques shop in Long Island which was owned and operated by another brother.^[1] Under Goldberg's ownership, the two brothers opened a second store in Clay, New York, in 1972.^[1] The company acquired Flanigan's Furniture in 1990, which operated fourteen stores in upstate New York at the time.^[1] The acquisition gave the company its present name, Raymour & Flanigan.^[1]

Bernard Goldberg remained the chairperson of Raymour & Flanigan until his death in 2010.^[1] However, he suffered from deteriorating health, including Alzheimer's disease during the later years of his life.^[1] His two sons - Raymour & Flanigan President and CEO Neil Goldberg and Executive Vice President Steve Goldberg, as well as his nephew, Executive Vice President Michael Goldberg, succeeded him.^[1]

Additionally, Goldberg was a founding member of the Syracuse Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York and was a member of the board of directors for the New York State Division of Human Rights.^[1]

Bernard Goldberg died in Syracuse on August 27, 2010, of complications from Alzheimer's disease, aged 84.^[1] He was survived by his wife, Norma, three sons, one daughter and eleven grandchildren.^[1]