Myron Kunin

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Kunin, Myron "Mike" of Minneapolis, age 85, died peacefully on Wednesday morning. Myron was a businessman, philanthropist, and art collector, but more importantly, he was also a loving husband, father, grandfather and dear friend. He was a creative iconoclast, a visionary entrepreneur, and a connoisseur of relationships, who built a small family business into the world's largest chain of beauty salons, Regis Corporation, a multi-billion dollar company. Myron invested his time and funds in a wide variety of other businesses, from media to electronics to real estate, and he developed a keen appreciation and expertise in 20th century American art. Over the years, he also applied his considerable energies towards a broad range of philanthropic activities, giving generously to the University of Minnesota, helping to fund the Regis Center for Arts and the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies there, as well as at St Cloud State. He also helped to send over one thousand deserving Minneapolis public high school graduates to college, through a discreet scholarship fund he operated for 31 years. A former Chairman of the Board of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, he was made a Life Trustee. Many other local and national arts organizations received his support, including the Walker Art Center, the Northern Clay Center and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. Myron also had a lifelong history of supporting the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, through generous donations of his time and funds. Myron, a lifetime Minneapolis resident, grew up near Lake of the Isles, and lived for the last 30 years in a house less than six blocks away from his childhood home (where his mother, Florence, lived until her death, at 102, in 2007). His father, Paul, was a Russian immigrant, a barber and beautician, who opened a beauty salon in Minneapolis, and met Florence when he styled her hair. Myron was born in 1928. He attended Kenwood elementary, West High School, and then the University of Minnesota. Mike married Anita Hochfeld, of Portland Oregon, whom he met while she was visiting her cousins in Minneapolis. They recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Mike had several different jobs after college, but he eventually purchased his father's beauty salon business in 1958, renamed it Regis Corporation, and over time he transformed it entirely. Throughout the 1960's, 70's, 80's and 90's, Regis grew rapidly and continuously, as Myron foresaw the changing American marketplace and adapted Regis accordingly. When he stepped down from the Board of Directors, after 50 years at the helm, the Regis corporate group had over 13,500 salons and more than 65,000 employees. He managed to create a global business empire while still maintaining a personal and corporate culture that emphasized the importance of human relationships. Mike was a charming, idiosyncratic guy, who had a twinkle in his eye and a disarming sense of humor. A tenacious negotiator and extremely creative problem solver, he was also a supremely loyal friend and was prone to random acts of great kindness. He enjoyed banter with anyone, and was as likely to strike up a conversation (and friendship) with a taxi driver as a bank president. Mike had an exceptional talent in spotting the crux of a vexing issue, and a keen and omnivorous intellect. He taught us all to think creatively, cultivate our curiosity, and to see the value in everyone. A year ago, Myron came down with a rare form of leukaemia, which he fought with characteristic grit and good humor, although his health continued to decline. This past summer, through an experimental treatment, he had a brief reprieve, and was able to spend much quality time with his friends and family. Sadly, two weeks ago he contracted a cold that developed into pneumonia, and he passed away on Wednesday morning. We are grateful to the staff of Abbott Northwestern Hospital for their kind care and sensitivity in his final days, as well as the people at MOHPA and the UC Irvine Medical Center for their caring treatment of his leukaemia. Myron is survived by his wife, Anita; his sister Diana Lewis; his four sons, Tim, Bill, David and Drew; and seven grandchildren. There will be a memorial reception (Shiva) for his many friends and associates to celebrate his life and cherish his memory, on Sunday, November 3rd, from 5-7 pm at Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Ave. S., Minneapolis. Memorials preferred to: Myron Kunin Scholarship Fund, at the University of Minnesota Foundation, 200 Oak St., Suite 500, Mpls, MN 55455. Hodroff-Epstein 612-871-1234 hodroffepstein.com

Published on November 2, 2013