MICKEY AND ALLAN GREENBLATT -
A Success Story
MICKEY GREENBLATT:
I grew up in Jamaica, N.Y. and attended
Jamaica High School. I feared I would never
get a college education because my father had
a serious heart condition from the time I was
12. When I was 17 he had a severe attack. He
conveyed his fears about not being able to
secure my future to his cardiologist.
To help allay my father’s anxiety, the doctor
said he would give me a job if after my high
school graduation I would train as a medical
assistant and he would hire me. My father was
relieved but I longed for a college education.
My mother was determined to help me achieve
my dream. With the help of a school counselor
I entered Queens College in 1950. My father
passed away after my freshman year and I prepared
to leave and get a job. But my mother
insisted that I continue. She found work for
herself and a part-time job for me. Together
we managed.
As I look back now, my education at Queens
College was one of the most important accomplishments
in my life. I have been an ardent
supporter of Queens College ever since. In 2017
I was honored as Alumnus of the Year. I have
had the pleasure of running two University Days
at North Shore Towers with Queens College.
They were both sold out events.
I married Allan a few weeks after my graduation
in 1954. We have been married for 67
years. In 1974 I went back to school to get a
Master’s Degree in Geriatric Counseling from
Long Island University. I became a consultant
in Chase Bank’s marketing department in the
area of senior relations. The program was called
“Chase Center 60” and I led many events for
seniors all over the New York area. It was very
satisfying work. Years later, Allan and I became
residents of Florida and I retired.
I have encouraged friends to follow us here
to NST. Irene Frank, Gloria Darvin, and Joan
and Irwin Robinson are dear friends who share
our enthusiasm for life here. I started out in
Queens and after many moves I am happy to
be back. Our apartment affords beautiful views
of my favorite borough.
ALLAN GREENBLATT:
I grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn and attended
Midwood High School and NYU School of
Mickey and Allan on their anniversary
Commerce. I was planning to go to law school
when my father died suddenly. I dropped my
plans and immediately went to work in the
family business of manufacturing felt slippers.
Subsequently, the business made many different
types of footwear, including athletic shoes and
sneakers. The company went public in 1970. We
then had seven factories in the United States,
the Caribbean and the Far East.
In 1954 Mickey and I moved into our first
apartment in Rego Park. Our two oldest children,
our sons, were born there. Five years later,
we moved to a home in Great Neck and lived
there for 26 years. Our two daughters were born
in Great Neck.
Our children went to the Great Neck
schools. Mickey and I were very active in
Temple Israel where I served as president in
the 1970s. We joined the Glen Oaks Country
Club when it was located where NST is now.
I celebrated my 40th birthday at the old Glen
Oaks Country Club.
We moved to Muttontown in 1986 and then
to NST in 2012. We became Florida residents
in 1983 and have enjoyed Palm Beach. We still
belong to Temple Israel and the Glen Oaks
Country Club. We joined the High Ridge
Country Club in Florida and I served as president
from 2006 to 2009.
We have four children and 15 grandchildren
ranging in age from 13 to 35 years old. We enjoy
a very close family relationship.
For many years we enjoyed traveling extensively
for both business and pleasure. We’ve
been to Israel 10 times and to Europe and
Asia several times. We love the lectures and
cultural programs at NST and look forward
to many more.
While both Mickey and Allan lost their
fathers at a critical and vulnerable time in their
young lives, through strong determination and
their mothers’ love they went on to build very
successful careers and a wonderful family of
their own. Each has felt a strong need to give
back by serving in leadership roles in their
home community and to Queens College.
Happy together!
4 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ July 2021