THE BERKMAN FAMILY
Harvard University, especially Harvard Law School, has enjoyed a long association with
the Berkman family. Among the generations of family members who have attended and
generously supported the University, three have provided extraordinary vision and support
for the Law School:
The late Jack N. Berkman, J.D.29, was chairman, chief executive officer and
secretary of Associated Group, Inc., a diversified communications company with holdings in
television, cellular telephone systems and radio stations. The Berkman family founded the
company in 1979. Originally named Associated Communications Corporation, the company took
its present name in 1994. Prior to his affiliation with Associated Group, Mr. Berkman was
chairman and president of Rust Craft Broadcasting and vice chairman of Rust Craft Greeting
Cards, two Berkman family-owned enterprises. Mr. Berkman was an active philanthropist,
participating on many nonprofit boards. He joined the Harvard Committee on University
Resources in 1988. He was a member of the national councils of the Metropolitan Opera and
of Rockefeller University, a director of the Retina Foundation and an advisory board
member of the Skin Cancer Foundation. In addition, he served as a fellow of the Aspen
Institute of Humanistic Studies. Mr. Berkman completed an A.B. at the University of
Michigan in 1926 and a J.D. at Harvard Law School in 1929.
Mr. Berkmans wife, Lillian Berkman, is a vice president of Associated Group Inc.
and a distinguished art collector. She is active on many corporate and nonprofit boards.
Mrs. Berkman joined the Harvard Law School Visiting Committee in 1996 and is a charter
member of the Deans Advisory Board. She has been a Fellow in Perpetuity of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1964. She serves on the board of the Sterling National
Bank of New York, and has served on numerous other corporate boards including Allied
Stores and Michigan National Corporation. She is president of the General Alarm
Corporation and of the Rojtman Foundation. Mrs. Berkman has served as cultural advisor to
Coca-Cola and the government of Costa Rica. She completed a B.A. summa cum laude at
New York University in 1942 and an M.A. summa cum laude in 1943. The University of
the Phillipines awarded her an honorary Doctorate in the Humanities in 1976, and Marquette
University awarded her an honorary D.F.A. in 1996.
Mr. Berkmans son, Myles P. Berkman, A.B.58, J.D.61, is chairman of |