Jack Farber

Jack Farber, 89, who resided in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, passed away peacefully on Wednesday December 7, 2022.  

Jack was born on June 18, 1933, to parents Morris and Elizabeth in Philadelphia, PA. After Jack graduated from Olney High School in 1951, he studied business and accounting at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating with a degree in accounting, Jack started his career at Price Waterhouse, where, at 34, he was the youngest ever employee make partner. From there, Jack went on to become President of what would become Philadelphia Industries, Inc. (PII), where he managed the company’s portfolio of underperforming businesses. Jack eventually merged PII with CSS Inc., where he served as the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of CSS until 2015. Jack earned the nickname “The Garbage Man,” a reference to his ability to turn around struggling companies, and also the title of his self-published memoir.

As lifelong philanthropists, Jack and his wife, Vickie, have made a lasting impact on the Philadelphia community. Their commitment to giving back drove their support of The Liberty Museum, the American Jewish Committee, and the ALS Association, among others. Together, Jack and Vickie created The Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience at Jefferson Health, The Vickie and Jack Farber Vision Research Center at Wills Eye Hospital, The Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience at Policlinico Gemelli in Rome, and, most recently, the David Farber ASPIRE Center for suicide prevention and awareness. Jack believed strongly in the causes of all of these organizations and was proud to take an active leadership role in each, taking the same detail-oriented approach in philanthropy that he had in business.

In 2015, Jack retired and split his time between Philadelphia and Florida. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, playing golf, traveling, taking classes, and continuing to engage in philanthropy. Most of all, Jack loved enjoying a cigar while reading the newspaper, reading through financial statements and going to the clubhouse for dinner with Vickie.

Jack is survived by his wife, Vickie, his daughter, Ellen, his sisters Carole and Marlene, and his four grandchildren, Billy(Jen), Kenny (Shelby), Leigh (Lee), and Blake (Maya). Services will be held at the Roosevelt Memorial in Trevose, PA on December 9, 2022 at 1:30pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience at Jefferson Health or the David Farber Aspire Center at Jefferson.