Ira Dischler

Ira met Dorothy at his homecoming party when he returned from Korea in September of 1954.  They were married October 29, 1955, and lived in Brooklyn where their two daughters, Marj and Jill were born.  When the girls reached school age, they moved to Parsippany, New Jersey..

 Ira commuted to Manhattan to work in the family business—Swank, a men’s clothing store.  His father-in-law opened the business in 1927.  In 1936 he was approached by a vendor of men’s accessories to sell the name “Swank” for a new corporation—Swank Products, Inc.  He did so with the stipulation that “Swank” would remain on his store.  The new corporation then merged with the Attleboro Manufacturing Company which eventually became Swank Inc. in 1941—as it is today.

Ira retired in September 1998 and moved to Palm Beach County in December.  He worked part-time for Bloomingdales in Boca Raton, Florida, from 2003 to 2009.  Subsequently . . .  “I was playing cards with Ernie Salzstein, President of the Friends of Green Cay (FOGC), when he said, ‘Give us a hand at Green Cay.’  And here I am!”

His background in retail was the perfect fit for our FOGC gift shop. “He’s my right arm,” said Ann Litt, manager.  “We’re both on the same page.”  Ira updated inventory for better utilization of high tech merchandising systems and developed an open-to-buy system.  He resolved the problem of “when and what to buy.”  Along with Jay Litt, treasurer, he developed a coordinating sales control system allowing them to maintain proper inventory levels and to control inventory shrinkage.  All the merchandise is labeled with the proper bar codes.  Now the gift shop is more profitable.  Ira also devotes a lot of time to display and interior organization.

He enjoys meeting the customers and hearing about their interests and talking with the staff and volunteers about nature and the environment.  “We have to keep green space.  We cannot let builders take every inch of it.  I am very concerned about climate change and what people are doing to increase its effect.”

Ira has a passion for gardening in general and orchids in particular.  “People say my orchids are magnificent.”  To that we can add playing canasta, photography, bowling, walking with his wife, Dorothy, and reading.  “I am an excessive reader.  I am always with a book.”

Their daughter Marj is Vice President of Human Resources, Webster Bank, New England.  Jill is married to Anthony Collins, Esq.  They have two sons, Brendan and Shane.  She is a Sales Executive for a jewelry chain in West Springfield, Massachusetts.  Brendan attends Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut.  Shane attends high school, plays football and baseball—great athlete. 

We are proud to have Ira on our team as a volunteer.  He is “Behind the Counter” on Thursdays from 12:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.  Come out and see Ira in action!

By Stephanie Langson Canter