Harry T. Mangurian, Jr.
| Harry T. Mangurian Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 26, 1926 Rochester, New York, United States |
| Died | October 19, 2008 (aged 81) Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Occupation | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothy |
| Parent(s) | Harry T. Mangurian & Ethel Roberts |
| Honors |
|
Harry T. Mangurian Jr. (October 1, 1926 – October 19, 2008) was an American businessman and philanthropist.
Mangurian was born to an Armenian immigrant Harry Sr. and his wife Ethel Roberts of Rochester, NY. Following the outbreak of World War II, as soon as he reached the legal age Mangurian enlisted in the United States Navy. He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations 1943–1946. Following his discharge, Mangurian returned home to work in the family's retail furniture business which he would build into a national chain. Following an IPO he eventually merged the business with General Portland cement company. He also acquired First National Bank of Rochester, serving as chairman of the Board of Directors.
Taking up residence in Florida, in 1969 he purchased the jet charter company, Southeastern Jet Corporation, a business he operated for more than thirty years. His Drexel Investments, a real estate construction and leasing firm, is based in Fort Lauderdale.
In 1977, Mangurian became a partner in the Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association (NBA), buying out the share of Paul Snyder, who had owned the team for five years but was facing public feuds with the other sports teams using Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. At the end of the 1978 season, by which point he had effectively dismantled the team in a successful effort to break the Braves' lease on the Aud, he and his partner John Y. Brown Jr. negotiated a franchise swap of the Braves team for the Boston Celtics. After one season, Mangurian bought out Brown and as the franchise's owner saw the Celtics sign stars Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In the 1980–81 Boston Celtics season, his team won the NBA Championship. In 1983, he sold the club due to poor relations with Delaware North, owner of the Boston Garden.
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