A DVA N C E M E N T
SPIRIT OF GIVING
Going the Extra Mile Like
many dedicated runners, it was “the
interest in the New Jersey Nets
jogging 20 years ago. But he hasn’t lost his stamina.
basketball team and became the
Exchanging running shoes for swim trunks, he
principal owner in 1986. It was
does 100 laps daily in an Olympic-size pool, swims
in that era, when the Nets and
marathons and, last year, the 7½ miles between
Pirates shared the boards at the
Amagansett and Gardiners Island.
Meadowlands Arena, that Gerstein
The discipline, ingrained in his days as a
re-connected with Seton Hall by
star high school football player, plus the help he
kindling a friendship with Richie Regan, an NBA
received from others to build his businesses, are
player and legendary Pirate great who returned to the
key to understanding Gerstein’s three decades as
University to serve as its long-time athletic director.
a major benefactor to the University. “Seton Hall gave a lot to me and I wanted to
Gerstein was a founder of the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund and has received many prestigious awards from
give back,” he said. “Life is short. You have to show
the University, among them the Many Are One Most
something for it other than making a buck.”
Distinguished Alumnus Award. He was also elected
The son of a Russian immigrant, Gerstein grew
to the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame and the
up in Paterson, N.J., and graduated in 1959 from
Entrepreneur Hall of Fame of the Stillman School of
East Side High School. He worked his way through
Business, where he was honored with the school’s
Seton Hall, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in
alumnus of the year award and is a member of the
business in 1963.
Center for Entrepreneurial Studies’ Board of Advisors.
“I knew I’d never work for anybody else,” he said.
Although he travels six months of the year as
Opportunity arrived when he converted his father’s
Thermwell’s president and CEO, he also serves on
carpet business into one that made material to
the University Board of Regents, as well as on the
stop drafts from doors and windows. That led to
boards of the Nets, the New York Yankees, and the
the founding of Thermwell Products Co., Inc. in
Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network.
Mahwah, N.J., which manufactures and sells the Frost King line of weather stripping products. 32
Gerstein later acquired an
knees” that forced David B. Gerstein to give up
In 2007 he created the David B. Gerstein Endowed Scholarship. Grants of $2,000 to $2,500 are awarded