Fala Direct Marketing’s founder Robert H. Jurick died in Boca Raton, FL on Nov. 9. He was 84.
Jurick had been battling congenital heart disease for more than three years, according to his son, Jeff Jurick.
Robert Jurick joined the Fifth Avenue Lettershop Association (Fala) in 1952, a year after he married Lyn Robins, daughter of Fala founder Beatrice Goodman Robins. Jurick launched Fala Direct Marketing in 1978.
Under Robert, and later CEO Jeff Jurick, Fala’s direct mail activities expanded to include printing, data processing, fulfillment, response management, presorting and commingling, among other services. At one point the company processed more than 1 billion pieces of mail annually.
Fala’s notable accomplishments include creation of the first computerized letter developed for Business Week magazine, as well as creation of the first check donation package for a presidential candidate (George McGovern).
Robert Jurick began winding down his involvement with Fala in 2002. In 2005, Fala was sold in part to Pitney Bowes, and in part to Citibank Venture Capital and Instant Web, which is now known as IWCO.
Jeff Jurick remembered his father as taking a very disciplined approach to business, reflecting his military background. The elder Jurick stressed the value of building and maintaining relationships, and encouraged his employees to think of his company as a “24/7 business” perpetually focused on putting clients’ best feet forward.
Jurick was also known as a relentless networker, one would go out of his way to find jobs for those around him, according to Jeff Jurick.
Outside of his direct marketing activities, Robert Jurick was an avid golfer. Jurick developed a golf handicap program for the Inwood Country Club. The program was ultimately purchased by the Metropolitan Golf Association.
Robert Jurick, whose best handicap was 12, according to son Jeff, married his wife Lyn Robins – a club champion at Inwood – in 1951.
“Mom would hit the ball down the middle – chip and one putt,” Jeff Jurick told Direct Newsline. “My dad was a big hitter. He played military golf – left, right, left, right. Mom would always say ‘Oh, honey, you’ll do better next time.’”
Robert Jurick was a graduate of Syracuse University, as well as a veteran of the United States Army. While in the Army, he fought in WWII’s Battle of the Bulge, after which he was awarded a Bronze Star and a Good Conduct medal.
In addition to his wife Lyn and son Jeff, Jurick is survived by his daughter, Susan, his daughter-in-law Lisa and son-in-law Maurice, and grandchildren Brittany, Alix and Batya.
