Albert Bros., Inc. Mettle Forged in Brass City
New Haven, CT, October 04, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Fifty-one years ago , a disillusioned post-graduate student at Brown University who thought he wanted to become a college history professor phoned to tell his father he was leaving school and heading back home to join the family business.
Academia’s loss was Waterbury’s gain. The disillusioned student was Burton Albert and the family business he was joining was Albert Bros, Inc., a 114 year old company that has become one of the largest independent scrap metal processing and recycling companies in New England.
Albert’s long, distinguished career as a business leader, community activist and philanthropist was honored when he was recently the recipient of the 2009 Malcolm Baldridge Community Award, the Waterbury Regional Chamber’s highest honor at the annual Malcolm Baldridge Community Awards dinner.
“Burt was chosen for this award because he’s spent his entire lifetime, not only providing jobs as a successful business leader, but also leading countless efforts that have positively impacted his community,” said chamber president and CEO, Lynn G. Ward. Considering all the time Albert has devoted to running his business and raising his family over the years, the breadth and depth of his philanthropic and community work is remarkable.
“Whether it’s the many years of service he provided at St. Mary’s Hospital or his efforts to help establish the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, Burt has long played a leading role in making Greater Waterbury a better place to live and work,” added Ward. Albert was also the first recipient of St. Mary’s Hospital Champion Award in 2005.
Burt Albert, 77, represents the third generation of his family to own and operate the scrap metal company. Albert Bros., Inc employs about 65 people and is located on a 21-acre parcel on East Aurora Street.
The company was founded in Waterbury in 1895 by brothers Nathan and Lewis Albert. The brothers emigrated from Lithuania in 1891 and began working as peddlers, buying and selling tin goods, pottery, dishes and scrap metal from the back of a horse-drawn cart. Four years later, they purchased a small piece of land and opened the scrap metal operation.
Lewis left the business in 1918 to establish his own coal and oil company. When Nathan fell ill the next year, much of the day-to-day burden of running the company fell on the shoulders of his 14-year-old son Sidney – Burt’s father.
“My father never forced the business on my in any way, shape or form,” recalls Burt Albert. “Since he had to leave school at an early age to run the family business, he was not about to impose the same burden on me. He always insisted that I choose my own path, though I’m sure he was thrilled when I decided to come home to help him run the company.”
Albert married his wife Sylvia in 1958, the same year he returned to Waterbury to start working with his father. The couple have two sons, Eric and Jonathan, and a daughter Debbie Rosmarin. And like his own father, never pressured his children to join in the family but nonetheless was delighted when first Eric and then Jonathon joined the team in the 90’s. The Albert family was now in the fourth generation involved in the company.
Today Eric serves as President of Albert Bros, Inc., and Jonathan is an Executive Vice President of the scrap metal company as well as Chairman of two other family enterprises – Cornerstone Realty Inc., a commercial real estate firm, and Cornerstone Management, a company that owns eight fine-dining restaurants in the United States.
In 2004, Albert and his family were honored by the Connecticut Community Foundation with the Traurig Philanthropist Award. More recently, Albert and his wife were also recognized with the Menorah Seal Award of B’nai Israel Synagogue for leadership in the Jewish community.
“To have success in business and not give back to your community is to have led a rather empty life,” said Albert.
* excepted from article by Marc Silvestrini /Republican American
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Academia’s loss was Waterbury’s gain. The disillusioned student was Burton Albert and the family business he was joining was Albert Bros, Inc., a 114 year old company that has become one of the largest independent scrap metal processing and recycling companies in New England.
Albert’s long, distinguished career as a business leader, community activist and philanthropist was honored when he was recently the recipient of the 2009 Malcolm Baldridge Community Award, the Waterbury Regional Chamber’s highest honor at the annual Malcolm Baldridge Community Awards dinner.
“Burt was chosen for this award because he’s spent his entire lifetime, not only providing jobs as a successful business leader, but also leading countless efforts that have positively impacted his community,” said chamber president and CEO, Lynn G. Ward. Considering all the time Albert has devoted to running his business and raising his family over the years, the breadth and depth of his philanthropic and community work is remarkable.
“Whether it’s the many years of service he provided at St. Mary’s Hospital or his efforts to help establish the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, Burt has long played a leading role in making Greater Waterbury a better place to live and work,” added Ward. Albert was also the first recipient of St. Mary’s Hospital Champion Award in 2005.
Burt Albert, 77, represents the third generation of his family to own and operate the scrap metal company. Albert Bros., Inc employs about 65 people and is located on a 21-acre parcel on East Aurora Street.
The company was founded in Waterbury in 1895 by brothers Nathan and Lewis Albert. The brothers emigrated from Lithuania in 1891 and began working as peddlers, buying and selling tin goods, pottery, dishes and scrap metal from the back of a horse-drawn cart. Four years later, they purchased a small piece of land and opened the scrap metal operation.
Lewis left the business in 1918 to establish his own coal and oil company. When Nathan fell ill the next year, much of the day-to-day burden of running the company fell on the shoulders of his 14-year-old son Sidney – Burt’s father.
“My father never forced the business on my in any way, shape or form,” recalls Burt Albert. “Since he had to leave school at an early age to run the family business, he was not about to impose the same burden on me. He always insisted that I choose my own path, though I’m sure he was thrilled when I decided to come home to help him run the company.”
Albert married his wife Sylvia in 1958, the same year he returned to Waterbury to start working with his father. The couple have two sons, Eric and Jonathan, and a daughter Debbie Rosmarin. And like his own father, never pressured his children to join in the family but nonetheless was delighted when first Eric and then Jonathon joined the team in the 90’s. The Albert family was now in the fourth generation involved in the company.
Today Eric serves as President of Albert Bros, Inc., and Jonathan is an Executive Vice President of the scrap metal company as well as Chairman of two other family enterprises – Cornerstone Realty Inc., a commercial real estate firm, and Cornerstone Management, a company that owns eight fine-dining restaurants in the United States.
In 2004, Albert and his family were honored by the Connecticut Community Foundation with the Traurig Philanthropist Award. More recently, Albert and his wife were also recognized with the Menorah Seal Award of B’nai Israel Synagogue for leadership in the Jewish community.
“To have success in business and not give back to your community is to have led a rather empty life,” said Albert.
* excepted from article by Marc Silvestrini /Republican American
###
Contact
Albert Bros Inc
Lynn DeJoseph
203-753-4146
albertbros.com
Lynn DeJoseph
203-753-4146
albertbros.com
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