Eugene Freedman

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Eugene Freedman
Born Unknown
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Occupation Businessman (Entrepreneur)

Eugene Freedman (A.k.a. Gene Freedman, Gene-san) is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is widely known as the founder of the Enesco Corporation (A.k.a. Enesco, Corp.), the world-wide distributor or Precious Moments porcelain figurines between 1997 and 2005.

Born in Philadelphia, Freedman grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Northwestern University and California Institute of Technology. He received his Navy commission at University of Notre Dame and is a World War II veteran.

He began his career in 1947 as a salesman for a Milwaukee based gift and novelty company under his own name, Eugene Freedman, Co. . Several years later, it became the Freedman-Mathews Corporation . He resigned in 1958 to become one of the founders of Enesco Imports , a subsidiary of N. Shure, Co., one of the largest and oldest general merchandise catalog companies in Chicago. When N. Shure was sold to Butler Brothers in 1967, Freedman became president and CEO of this subsidiary, renamed Enesco Corporation'. The company is sold three more times, ending up under Stanhome, Inc. in 1983. In 1998, the Enesco takes over Stanhome's assets, but Freedman steps down as president and CEO - yet he remains active in the corporate workings of the company. Thus the company presented him with the title of "Founding Chairman". By the time he left the company in March of 2005, Enesco had become Enesco Group, Inc, a global leader in gift and collectibles with offices in the UK, Hong Kong, and markets in South America.

Freedman is credited with the success of the Precious Moments gift and collectibles.

With his success, Freedman has worked with Easter Seals, The Boys and Girls Club of America, and other organizations.

[edit] Freedman trivia

  • Freedman loves Frank Sinatra and his music. Freedman can be seen singing Sinatra at karaoke bars and birthday parties if you happen to be invited.[citation needed]
  • Freedman also loves cars. Fast cars. He is known to ask the name of exotic cars as he passes them on the street.[citation needed]
  • Freedman loves golf. Every year he visits his summer home on Maui for a charity golf outing.
  • Used as his closing statement at events, Freedman's life motto is, "The best is yet to come".

[edit] Sources

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