Photo: Paul Miller
The Massrys Share Their Success
Entrepreneurship comes naturally to Morris and Esther Massry and their family. So does philanthropy.
In the 1950s, the Massrys started the Janie Shop – a children’s clothing store named for their eldest daughter – in Troy, N.Y. Morris soon began acquiring neighboring retail buildings, transitioning to the real-estate business, with a focus on apartment buildings, in the mid-1960s.
The Massrys’ son, Norman, became involved in the family business as a child, mowing lawns and assisting with other tasks. After studying accounting at Bentley University, he returned to the company as an accountant but realized “I wanted to manage real estate.” And so he did, working with his father to build Tri City Rentals/Massry Reality Partners into a successful firm that operates in New York, Tennessee, Florida and Texas.
According to Norman, the family orientation makes the business work. Julie, daughter of Norman and his wife, Micki, is manager of sales and marketing; son Murray serves as project manager.
In turn, the Massrys share their success, supporting education, medical care, arts and other Capital Region causes. “We grew up with philanthropy,” recounts Norman. “My dad started giving as campaign manager of the United Way. I remember Julie painting the big thermometer.”
The family’s relationship with UAlbany began in 1987, when Morris became a director of the University’s Foundation board. The Massrys’ $5.25 million gift to UAlbany is their largest contribution to any institution or organization. “This gift makes sense,” observes Norman, “considering the magnitude and excellence of the University at Albany, the number of students it touches, and its impact on the Capital Region.
“As we came to know President [Robert J.] Jones and his vision for the University, we became increasingly excited by what the money could accomplish. It is our most important gift, to date, for a fundamental reason: The University is critically important to the community.”
To underscore their commitment to UAlbany, the Massry family made a gift of $5.25 million in December 2014 to fund:
- an endowment to ensure that the new School of Business building remains a state-of-the-art resource for teaching, learning and research.
- speakers, conferences and visiting faculty to enhance the academic experience for School of Business students.
- the Massry Community Fellows Program, allowing students throughout the University to pursue internships with local non-profits – opportunities for which funding is not typically available – and to strengthen UAlbany’s commitment to community service and public engagement.
In September 2015, the School of Business building was named the Massry Center for Business to honor the family for its longstanding support of the University.
-Michele Flynn
