Building named in honor of Max S. Grumbacher and family

Building named in honor of Max S. Grumbacher and family

Penn State York's M. S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center. Click on photo for move coverage.

Members of the Grumbacher family, the Penn State York Advisory Board, other members of the campus community and friends, gathered Thursday, Oct. 19, for the official naming of the M. S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center at the campus. The building is named in honor of the late Max Samuel Grumbacher in recognition of his ongoing support of Penn State York throughout his lifetime and in honor of his family's support of the campus. The ceremony took place outside the building on the lower part of the campus.

During the ceremony, a number of campus representatives spoke as well as Grumbacher's son, Max Thomas "Tim" Grumbacher. Following the speeches, signage on the side of the building were revealed. A plaque has also been placed inside the building. The plaque reads,"M .S. Grumbacher Information Sciences and Technology Center, Named in Honor of Max S. Grumbacher, 1912-2006, Former Chairman of The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., Respected Civic Leader and Past Chair of the Penn State York Advisory Board."

Grumbacher's dedication to Penn State York began in the late 1970s when he joined the Penn State York Advisory Board. He served on the executive committee as treasurer and held various other chair positions, culminating in his election as chair of the Advisory Board from 1987 through 1990. It was during this time that the first "campaign for Penn State York" was launched, raising $2.2 million which contributed to the building of the Information Sciences and Technology Center that honors his name.

Grumbacher was born Sept. 27, 1912, in York and died June 7 at age 93. He joined the Bon-Ton in 1931 and remained actively involved over the next 65 years. He steered Bon-Ton's growth through both expansion and acquisition, beginning the transformation of his family's business from a single store in York into a major chain that currently operates more than 270 stores in 23 states.

Grumbacher was drawn into the family business by crisis, rather than by design. He expected to attend Dartmouth College upon his graduation from Mercersburg Academy in 1931. At that point, his father's health was deteriorating, and the Bon-Ton, like all retailers, was struggling through the Depression. He abandoned his plans for college and instead went to work at the Bon-Ton where he quickly rose to a leadership position, serving as its president for 28 years.

Grumbacher turned over management of the chain's day-to-day operations to his son Tim in 1967, in order to focus on real estate and expansion strategies. He relinquished his position as chairman of the company in 1987, but remained on its board of directors until his retirement in 1996.

Grumbacher served for many years on numerous boards, including those of York Hospital, Hamilton Bank (now Wachovia), York County Community Foundation and the Board of Regents at Mercersburg Academy. He was honored by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Commerce for 10 years service as chairman of the board of the York County Industrial Development Authority.

In addition, Grumbacher pursued a lifelong commitment to community leadership. He was involved in many organizations benefiting his hometown, including the York Chamber of Commerce, York Council of Jewish Charities, United Fund of York City and the York Family Service Bureau.

He was a longtime philanthropist, principally through his M.S. Grumbacher Foundation, now under the direction of his grandson, Joshua Schultz. This foundation supports scores of educational, cultural, charitable and civic causes, including various types of medical research. In 1999, the foundation endowed a scholarship in his name for business students at Penn State York. Several scholarship recipients attended the event.

For photos from the event, check Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/still_life/2006_10_23_york/index.html