The Greatest Salesman for Goodness in the World: A Tribute to Legendary Philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein
Photo of Alan Shawn Feinstein (1931 – 2024) courtesy of Warwick Journal
Professor Joe Goldblatt
He regularly answered his phone by forcefully extending his index finger and pressing the speaker button upon his old fashioned bakelite plastic instrument and saying in a warm voice “Alan Feinstein …” and then he was off and running to spread goodness all over the world. For several years and many hours I had the privilege of sitting opposite Alan Shawn Feinstein and watching with admiration as he wheeled and dealed in the business of love.
From a modest upbringing in New England, where many times he would witness hunger, to a successful career as a multi – millionaire marketing genius, he brought his childhood values along with him into adulthood as he faithfully looked after those most in need. The neediest in his community could always count on Alan as a friend and his friendship was only limited by the ability of those he helped to also simply agree to help others.
His Feinstein Scholars programme resulted in having hundreds of thousands of school children and others all over the world sign pledges agreeing to help others by fighting hunger and doing many other good deeds. His natural talent as a marketer of memorabilia included limited editions of prints of the baseball legend Babe Ruth’s signed Yankees contract and these profits were soon put to good use in improving the world. He may have been one of the first persons in the world to successfully use direct marketing to promote good will around the world.
Although not religious by practice, he was spiritual and his values of the Jewish tradition of tikkun olams, to repair the world, were apparent the minute you stepped foot into his extremely modest 1950’s home. Everywhere you looked you would find leaflets, posters, fliers, and other marketing materials promoting goodness. Even to sit across from him you had to move stacks of papers promoting kindness. Whilst his career may have begun by mastering sales through direct marketing, his life later was fulfilled by becoming one of the greatest salesmen of goodness I have ever known.
When I decided that it was time to move on from being the Dean of the Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island he asked me to stop by for a visit. Before I was seated in his small crowded office he said “Joe, there’s a man I want you to see …” He had already arranged a meeting for me with the President of another small university with the hope of keeping me nearby. I was deeply touched by his thoughtfulness and kindness and as a courtesy I did meet with the President and soon realised that it was indeed time for me to move on.
After I accepted a position in Edinburgh, Scotland I rang Alan and heard his familiar soft voice through his even more ancient speaker phone announce “Alan Feinstein” and when I told him I was calling from Scotland he was surprised and delighted. He quickly told me about all his many projects and although he was in his ninth decade of life, his energy was as bouyant as ever.
A few years later his wife, Dr Pat Pratarnporn Chiemwichit, who was a highly respected child psychiatrist originally from Thailand, visited me in Edinburgh and we dined together at a local Thai restaurant. During our luncheon I had the funny feeling that Pat had been sent by Alan to check up on how I was doing in the strange new land of Scotland. Regardless of her motive, I was gratified that once again the Feinstein family was nearby, because for some reason, I was one of thousands who benefitted from their compassionate and loyal friendship.
Alan and Pat produced three outstanding children including their daughter Leila who became a successful television news anchor in Los Angeles. Leila now leads the Feinstein Foundation that her father began many years ago.
The editor in chief of the popular Sunday newspaper magazine Parade once remarked that “Everyone sells something, sometime.” Red Barber was referring to the universality of door to door sales people selling essential household products as well as politicians sellling their important policies.
I am grateful that I met and learned from the greatest salesman of goodness I have ever known. As a result of the knowledge and gifts Alan Shawn Feinstein bestowed upon me and thousands of others throughout the world, we have all received priceless riches from one man’s example of how generous citzenship may indeed repair the entire world with one good deed after another.
Professor Joe Goldblatt is Emeritus Professor of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland. His views are his own. To learn more about his views visit www.joegoldblatt.scot