Sam Isaacson got the balance right.

The founder of Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070) lived a life filled with faith, family, community commitment and entrepreneurial success. It’s a legacy that will live on in the hearts of family and friends following Isaacson’s passing on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

He died following a short illness at age 89, not long after Gemline was named ASI’s 2021 Supplier of the Year.

“While Sam Isaacson was proud of his business, he was even more proud of his family, with five children, 20 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren,” Gemline said in a statement. “He was committed to his community and his heritage and was deeply involved in his synagogue. He loved being with people, whether at home, work or in the community.”

Isaacson had the entrepreneurial spirit from his earliest days. That’s why, in 1957, he left his family’s business to found his own company – Gem Gift wares.

Beginning as a distributor, he sold promotional items to school photographers until the mid-1960s, when he started selling gas station premiums. “He was one of the early industry pioneers, traveling to Asia to source products, starting with Korea and Taiwan,” Gemline said.

Following the 1973 oil crisis, Isaacson refocused the direction of the company again. The new business model was based on supplying travel bags to distributors, who were selling to travel agencies. The pivot laid the groundwork for the modern incarnation of Gemline – a Lawrence, MA-headquartered supplier with a product line that now includes bags, luggage, business accessories, drinkware, electronics, stationery, writing instruments, gourmet foods and gifts.

“He will be warmly remembered and missed by all whose lives he touched,” Gemline said.

Sam Isaacson’s successful legacy includes his son Jonathan, who has owned and operated Gemline since 1994. Jonathan, a member of Counselor’s Power 50, a ranking of the most influential people in promo, led Gemline through the pandemic-driven challenges of 2020 with aplomb, earning the firm the Supplier of the Year title. The company ranks 13th on ASI’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.

Funeral services and shiva for Sam will be private.