Herbert Bernard Hirsch

Herbert Bernard Hirsch died at the age of 85, on December 8, 2021. He was first and foremost a good man with a big heart. His many friends and large extended family loved and respected him, and appreciated his wit, generous spirit and sense of adventure. He was a successful businessman; a Navy veteran; an avid golfer, skier and tennis player; a wonderful father and a gifted storyteller. No one told a joke better than Herb. Among family, he was known as Happy. Herb was born in Washington, D.C. to Esther and George Hirsch, and had one brother William (Billy), nine years his senior. Their family’s financial struggles created in Herb a determination to succeed professionally so he could provide his children with a stable life of opportunity, education and choice. Herb received his undergraduate degree at the Stern School of Business at NYU. He put himself through school by selling shoes and working at a grocery store. His business career started at Rosenthal and Rosenthal, the prestigious finance firm in Manhattan. He moved on to Ford Motor Credit in Detroit, then Nortec Properties in Miami. In 1973 Herb left Nortec, and with several other Ford executives, built Aetna Business Credit, Aetna Life Insurance’s newly created commercial finance subsidiary. Herb became Senior Vice President in charge of Special Industries to provide intermediate term financing for land sales, time share, communications, cable tv, and other specialized industries. Aetna Business credit became Barclays Business Credit before being taken over by Bank of America. In the mid 1980s, Herb, with several partners, established the Preferred Equities Group, to specialize in the acquisition and operations of time share resorts throughout the country. He became Chief Financial Officer as well as one of the 4 major principals. After successfully building Preferred Equities Group into a nation-wide operation, with resorts across the country, the company was acquired by Silverleaf Properties, a major nationwide timeshare operator. After the sale, Herb stayed with Silverleaf for several more years as a senior financial advisor. Herb was an enthusiastic and unwavering supporter of the arts in Connecticut and Vermont. For decades he and his wife Ilana were season-ticket subscribers with many arts organizations. Nothing, until COVID, would stop Herb from attending symphony concerts, theater productions, museums, film festivals, and chamber music concerts. Supporting Jewish organizations that promoted the arts and that fought world-wide anti-Semitism and racism were important to both Herb and Ilana. Herb was pre-deceased by his wife Ilana Hirsch, and is survived by his daughters Suzanne Grocki (Tom), Jessica Hirsch Lynn (Tom), Elizabeth Ward (Andrew) and Emily Hirsch (Mark Grant), grandchildren Jake, Sarah, Samara, Jonah, Jeremy, Nathan and Cate. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Contributions to commemorate Herb may be sent to the New Britain Museum of American Art, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and The Bushnell Performing Arts Center. Contributions: Contributions to commemorate Herb may be sent to the New Britain Museum of American Art, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and The Bushnell Performing Arts Center.