He was born in Portland June 8, 1923. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in metallurgy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1944 and, immediately thereafter, served in the U.S. Army until his discharge in 1947. Upon returning to Portland he joined his brothers in the family scrap and steel business, Schnitzer Steel, working alongside them until 1950, at which time he left and founded Harsch Investment Properties, a leading diversified owner and operator of industrial, office, retail and multi-family properties in five Western states. He served as President and Chairman of the Board for two decades before being joined by his son Jordan in 1970, who now serves as President. In the Bay Area, Harold’s first purchase was the Claremont Hotel in 1954, which was owned until 1998. Additional real estate holdings in the Bay Area include, the 450 Sutter Building, Mason O’Farrell Garage and numerous industrial and office buildings in the East Bay. Together, he and his son grew the company into one of the largest, privately held real estate companies in the western United States.

Throughout his life he focused on three things: family, the business and his community. Harold learned early on from his parents, Sam and Rose Schnitzer, who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, the responsibility of making a difference with his life. They taught him and his siblings (Manuel, Morris, Mollie, Edith, Gilbert and Leonard) the importance of giving back to your community.

In 1949 he met and married Arlene Director. Married for 62 years, they were life-long partners in business, the arts and philanthropy. Their son Jordan was born in 1951.

Over a career of 60 years there have been hundreds of organizations and causes that have benefited from his leadership and financial support. Harold served on the board of Lewis Clark College for 16 years, a Life Trustee since 1995. His service to the Portland Art Museum spanned 21 years, ultimately as Chairman of the Board from 1997 to 2001. He and Arlene are especially proud of establishing the Center for Northwest Art, and a curatorial and annual artist awards program. They also were major collectors of Han and pre-Han ceramics that led to establishing the nationally recognized Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Collection of Early Chinese Art. They gifted a number of works from the collection to the Portland Art Museum along with endowing the position of Curator of Asian Art. Harold and Arlene have a residence in the Bay Area and they have been longtime supporters of the Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco and many other Bay Area causes.

More recently Harold provided the lead gift establishing the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center at Oregon Health Science University (OHSU) in 2007, one of only ten centers in the nation treating children and adults and the only one on the West Coast. A diabetic since his early 40s, he valued good health care and appreciated its connection to the quality and longevity of life. The Center is his expression of helping others in their struggle with diabetes.

Harold was always interested in ensuring that young people have the same educational opportunities that he had. He had a lifelong interest in funding scholarships and educational grants, and that ultimately led to him establishing Judaic studies programs at both the University of Oregon and Portland State University.

Harold served the City of Portland on a variety of projects including the development of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Because of his leadership and philanthropy, the city named its symphony hall, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, in honor of his wife, Arlene.

He has been honored by numerous civic organizations regionally and nationally in partnership with his wife Arlene including the following: Doctor of Humane Letters from Portland State University, Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon, Aubrey Watzek Award from Lewis Clark College, Portland First Citizen Award 1995, the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the National Society of Fundraising Executives and an honorary doctorate degree from the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Harold is survived by his wife, Arlene, his son Jordan, his two granddaughters Arielle and Audria, his brother Gilbert who resides in San Francisco, California, his sister Mollie who resides in Beverly Hills, California, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Even during the last days of his life he was still working and planning on how to make life better for everyone else around him.

A Memorial Service was held on Wednesday, May 11th, 2011.

This article appeared on page Z99 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/15/MNSCHNITZE39.DTL