Manny Charach (Part 1)
Interviewed by Sharon Alterman
July 22, 2013
Home of Manny and Natalie Charach
Manny Charach (Part 1)
Video 00:39:48
Manny Charach (Part 1)
Audio 00:39:48
Abstract
Manny Charach discusses his grandmother’s journey to North America and his family life growing up in Pittsburgh. He touches on his time spent in the Army and meeting his wife, Natalie. This interview covers his early career in different sales positions and the founding of his own company, Manny Charach Associates.
Charach talks about representing Sony when it was a relatively unknown company in the United States. He also discusses representing the Matsushita Company, who wanted to break into the U.S. market. During a trip to Japan to discuss how to market the company in America, Charach came up with the name “Panasonic” for their product. Charach also delves into some of his philanthropic work, including the Janice Charach Gallery at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield, Michigan and funding Mobile Intensive Care Units and several nurseries in Israel.
History of Narrator
Manny Charach was born in 1925 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Irvin and Clara Charach. After graduating high school, Charach served in the Army during World War II. After the war, he visited Detroit to attend a friend’s birthday party. There he was introduced to Natalie Miller. He proposed the next day and they were married in 1946.
Throughout the first ten years of their marriage, Charach held a number of jobs, most in the sales field. In 1957, he started a company that represented manufacturers (mainly electronic) called Manny Charach Associates. He began representing a little-known company at the time – Sony. Later, he obtained an account with a Japanese company called Matsushita who wanted to break into the American market. Charach thought the name would be difficult for Americans to pronounce and suggested a new one: Panasonic. Charach first sold Panasonic radios to S.S. Kresge company. When Kresge became Kmart, Charach provided most of the electronic products that were stocked in their stores. He retired in 1993.
Always generous philanthropists, Manny and Natalie dedicated themselves to charitable causes. In 1991, they opened the Janice Charach Gallery in memory of their daughter. They’ve funded multiple buildings in Michigan and Israel, a children’s playground in Denver, ambulances for Israel, equipment for children’s hospital, and the Clara and Irvin Charach Tamarack Museum.
Manny Charach died on July 14, 2017 at the age of 92.
Transcript
Important Subjects
Important Names
Credit as: Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Manny Charach Oral History Interview, July 22, 2013.