Richard J. Fox
Richard J. Fox | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 8, 1927 |
| Died | February 9, 2020 (aged 92) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Education | Central High School |
| Alma mater | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Property developer |
| Years active | 1953 to 2020 |
Board member of | Temple Board of Trustees |
| Spouse | Geraldine Fox |
| Children | Harry Fox, Jennifer Fox, Frederic Fox, Celia Fox, Michael Fox |
| Parent(s) | Fred Fox, Zena Witlin Fox |
Richard James Fox (November 8, 1927 – February 9, 2020) was an American property developer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He served as the Chairman of Fox Companies, a property construction, development and management company in Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, and Planalytics, a weather analytics company. He was a member of the Temple University Board of Trustees for 53 years and the Fox School of Business and Management was named after him. He co-founded the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Early life
Richard J. Fox was born November 8, 1927.[1][2] He grew up in the Germantown-Mount Airy neighborhoods of Philadelphia.[2]
Fox was educated at the Central High School, a public high school from which he graduated in 1945.[2] Fox enlisted in the Navy to serve in World War II, where he learned how to fly, which became a lifelong passion of his. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1950, where he received a bachelor of science degree in engineering.[3] He served in the Korean War of 1950–1953.[4][1]
Career
Fox co-founded Fox Companies, a property construction, development and management firm in Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, with his brother Robert.[4][5] He served as its Chairman.[4][6] The firm has developed many buildings and apartment complexes, including the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.[5][2] Additionally, they developed the town of Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania.[2][3]
Fox was chairman of Planalytics, a weather analytics company he established with his son Fred Fox in Berwyn, PA.[1][4][6] He was also CEO of Quantum Pest Management, a revolutionary, non-chemical, insect management technology.
Political activity
Fox co-founded the Republican Jewish Coalition, serving as its first Chairman and its honorary chairman.[4][7][6] He was the Chairman of the Jewish Policy Center, a right-wing group which opposed the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.[8][4] Fox was involved in several Republican presidential campaigns in the 1980s, including serving as the Pennsylvania State Chairman for Ronald Reagan's 1980 and 1984 presidential campaigns[2] and the national finance chair of Jack Kemp's 1988 presidential campaign.[6][7] In 1983, he criticized Reagan's policies towards Israel as not meeting the expectations of Jewish Republicans.[9]
Fox served as the co-chairman of the New Horizon Council. He donated money to support the establishment of Freedom's Watch, a conservative lobbying group founded in 2007.[8]
Philanthropy
Fox served on the Board of Trustees of Temple University continuously for 53 years.[4][10] He served as its Chairman for 17 years from 1982 to 1999, when the Fox School of Business and Management was named in his honor.[2][3] In 1987, he founded the Center for Frontier Sciences to study new scientific ideas.[1][11][12] Martin Gardner criticized the center as promoting fringe science.[12] Fox was the 1996 recipient of an honorary doctorate of humane letters.[4]
Death
Fox died from natural causes on February 9, 2020, in his Center City Philadelphia apartment at the age of 92.[13]
Personal life
Fox was married to his wife, Geraldine for 67 years.[14] Together they had 5 children and 7 grandchildren.[1] Fox flew planes for 64 years from the age of 17 until he stopped at the age of 81. He enjoyed politics, Jewish affairs and golf.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Hagerty, James R. (2020-02-21). "Richard J. Fox, Philadelphia Real-Estate Developer, Championed Temple University". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Infield, Tom (October 12, 2005). "Venerable builder reflects on boom times gone by". Philly.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Company Overview of Planalytics, Inc.: Richard J. Fox". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Who We Are: Board Members". Planalytics. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- 1 2 "Richard J. Fox". Fox School of Business and Management. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "Richard J. Fox - Biography: Chairman". Jewish Policy Center. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- 1 2 Roberts, Steven V. (1985-02-03). "JACK KEMP'S YEAR OF DECISION". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
- 1 2 admin (2009-03-24). "Politics: Holy War - Page 5 of 7". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
- ↑ Smith, Hedrick; Times, Special To the New York (1983-05-13). "SHULTZ MISSION SEEN AIDING REAGAN AMONG JEWS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
- ↑ "Board of Trustees". Temple University. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ↑ "The Center for Frontier Sciences celebrates 20 years of giving new scientific ideas a forum". Temple Now. 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
- 1 2 Gardner, Martin (2014-01-06). "What's Going On at Temple University?". Did Adam and Eve Have Navels?: Debunking Pseudoscience. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-24503-5.
- ↑ "Richard J. Fox, real estate developer and namesake of Temple's business school, dies at 92". Philadelphia Inquirer. 9 February 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- ↑ "Richard James Fox, 92, prominent real estate developer, entrepreneur and philanthropist". Temple Now. 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2026-06-10.