Newspaper Page Text
Fitzgerald’s Dick
Kaminsky
Close friend to two Georgia Governors, he is now
head of the Stale Citizens Council, devoted to
having opened in New York and ending soon after in Boston.
While in Boston, his brother-in-law offered him a newspaper
job which was very acceptable. Dick used to work with Ed
Sullivan in the Sports Department of the “New York Evening
Graphic,” a newspaper sponsored by Bernarr McFadden. He
never did get to meet Mr. McFadden, he said.
All was going well — and then came the Depression! Having
hail a taste of southern atmosphere while attending the Univer
sity of Virginia, Dick decided to come South back in 1931. He
landed in Ashburn, Georgia. There he met and married Miss
Annie Cohen. “From Ashburn, we moved to Atlanta,” he rem
inisced, 'and there I got connected with a manufacturing firm.
After working for this firm for about a year, we went back to
Ashburn for a visit. I went to see Max Forshee of the Ashburn
Bank about a factory he owned there which was idle at the
time. 1 must have made a good impression, because I just up
and told him he was, as of then, in the pants business — and.
that he needed me! Well, he took me on— but not as a mem
ber of the firm. Just a salesman — period! It wasn’t very long
before 1 had sold the entire production of the plant.”
There being r.n more merchandise ready for sale, Dick was
delighted with a timely offer he received from a firm in Atlanta
as a member of the firm, and selling also. Back to Atlanta he
moved. He worked with the new firm for about a year or so!
In the meantime, Max Forshee had closed the plant down
again, having no one to run it. “I ran into him one day,” Dick
continued, “and he said, ‘Look, I let the horse get out of the
barn If you'll come back, I will put up the money, and we will
be partners.’ He said I could come back and do anything I
wanted to with the factory. I told him I thought better facil
ities were to be had in Fitzgerald, so we moved the factory
Mr. Kaminsky is shown above with his charming wife, mother,
Mrs. Yetta Cohen, and sons, Larry, Tavin and Penny, at right.
The sons have been leaders in such youth programs as Scouting,
De Moley, youth traffic programs and Fitzgerald congregational
activities. At right, is the Kaminsky’s white brick home.
public traffic safety. He formerly headed the State
Ii'nai B'rith Association and has been active in
other Jewish movements as well.
E pedal to THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Herman R. Kaminsky. Fitzgerald manufacturer and past State
president of B'nai B'rith Association, was elected president of
the Georgia Citizens Council at its board meeting in January
of this year.
An agency of the State of Georgia, the Citizens Council has as
its prime responsibility the promotion of a State-wide Traffic
Safety educational program. Mr. Kaminsky was appointed to
the Council hoard in 1952 by former Governor Herman Tal-
madge. Prior to this, he served as a board member ol the
Georgia Safety Council, at that time a subsidiary of the Cit
izens Council.
Dick, as he is known to his friends, is an enthusiastic and tire
less worker, which fact is evidenced in his active devotion to
the Council and its program. He is vitally interested in Traf-
iic Safety as it relates to teenagers this, perhaps, because he
is the father of three fine young boys of his own. He was in
strumental in helping organize the first Governor’s Teen-Age
Traffic Safety Conference in August of 1953. The Georgia Teen-
Age Traffic Safety Association was formed at that conference,
and has been active since tin'll in successfully carrying on teen
age Safey projects in Georgia.
Born in New York, February 7. 1908, where his home was
right adjacent to that of the late Albert E. Smith, whom he
knew well. Dick attended public school No. 1. After graduation
from high school, he attended the University of Virginia. His
first job. after leaving college, was with the famed Flo Zieg-
field; but that, according to Dick, was a very brief stage career,
The Southern Israelite
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