July 03, 2023
Obituary: Gerald ‘Jerry’ Benstock, Superior Group of Companies
Benstock spent 60 years as CEO and chairman of the parent company of Top 40 distributor BAMKO.
Gerald “Jerry” Benstock was an institution during his 60 years as chairman and CEO of Superior Group of Companies (SGC), parent firm of Top 40 distributor BAMKO (asi/131431). He passed away on June 30 at the age of 93 after a long illness.
Jerry Benstock
Formerly known as Superior Surgical, SGC was founded in 1920 in Northport, Long Island, NY. Trained as an engineer, Benstock joined his family’s company in the early 1950s and successfully expanded the company’s manufacturing and distribution process. He was instrumental in taking SGC public in 1968. In 1979, he relocated corporate headquarters to Seminole, FL. His son Michael is the current CEO of SGC.
The parent firm of several companies that manufacture branded healthcare apparel and corporate uniforms, SGC acquired Los Angeles-based BAMKO in 2016. Under SGC’s ownership, BAMKO, the 11th-largest distributor in the promotional products industry, has continued to grow, acquiring Sutter’s Mill Specialties (asi/340210) in late 2021 and Guardian Products in 2022.
“A friend and mentor to so many, his frank and forthcoming style helped shape the ethos of an organization that he held an unshakable belief in,” said Jake Himelstein, president of BAMKO. “Jerry is gone, but his memory will live on for generations in an organization that he played such a critical role in shaping. He will be missed dearly.”
In addition to leading SGC, Benstock was an avid tennis player, sailor, scuba diver and a voracious reader. He also gave back to the community whenever possible, supporting the Pinellas County Jewish Day School, Congregation B’nai Israel, Menorah Manor and The Jewish Federation, among other institutions. In the past, he served on the boards of the UJA men’s division in New York, Morton Plant Hospital and MarineMax.
Benstock was predeceased by his wife, Joan, and daughter, Wendy. He’s survived by his children, Susie and Alan Schwartz, Michael and Margot Benstock, Peter and Tonya Benstock; seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on July 23 at 1 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Israel, 300 58th St. North, St. Petersburg, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Benstock’s memory to Congregation B’nai Israel or The Lykes Radiation Pavilion at Morton Plant Hospital.