Memorial Resolution for Robert "Mendy" Klein
WHEREAS, Robert "Mendy" Klein died suddenly from a heart attack on May 3, 2018, at the age of 65; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed body has been notified of Robert "Mendy" Klein's passing by the Honorable Raymond Lopez, Alderman of the 15th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Robert Klein was born in 1952, one of three children of the late Jolan and Armin Klein of Budapest, Hungary. His parents were Holocaust survivors who fled Hungary when Russia invaded the country on Passover and moved their family to New York. He attended the Satmar kehilla school. He later studied at the yeshiva of the Tosher Rebbe and even lived in the Rebbe's home for several years; and
WHEREAS, Robert Klein married Ita Fried in the early 1970's. They had two sons: Yoni and Mati; and two daughters: Edna and Dina; and
WHEREAS, At the age of 16, Mendy started a taxicab business. In the early 1980's Mendy and his family moved to Cleveland. He took over his uncle's fruit and vegetable business for more than a decade before selling the business; and
WHEREAS, In 1990, Mendy Klein acquired Safeguard Properties, which preserves property in default. He was incredibly successful, growing the business to over one thousand employees, the largest mortgage field services company in the United States. He served as its President until 2010 and remained the Chairman of the Board until his untimely passing; and
WHEREAS, Mendy created Community Blight Solutions to understand and address the problems of economically disadvantaged communities and served as its Chairman. He also was co-founder and Chairman of SecureView. The company manufactures clear board, a patented product to secure buildings that looks like a window, thereby reducing break-ins and blight in a community. He has worked tirelessly with elected officials in the Chicagoland area to make abandoned properties attractive, safe and secure. The company's regional headquarters is in Chicago in the Eighteenth Ward; and
WHEREAS, Robert served as chair of the National Vacant Properties Registration Committee of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). In 2009, he received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award; and
WHEREAS, Mendy was an incredibly generous philanthropist, especially in the Jewish community. With his wife he formed the Robert and Ita Klein Charitable Foundation. Among the causes he supported were Shabbos Project Cleveland, Kever Rochel, Yeshiva Derech Ha'Torah, Telshe Yeshiva and the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland. He was on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amudim, which helps individuals suffering from substance addiction or domestic abuse. Next week he will posthumously receive the National Leadership Award from Agudath Israel of America at their 96th Annual Dinner in New York City; and
WHEREAS, Mendy Klein's funeral in Cleveland on May 4, 2018, was attended by approximately 3,000 people, with another 500 people watched the live stream and an additional
500 individuals listened to the audio broadcast. He had a second funeral on May 7 in Jerusalem, Israel, where he was buried; and
WHEREAS, Robert Klein was preceded in death by his parents, Jolan and Armin Klein;
and
WHEREAS, Mendy leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Ita; sons: Yoni (Shoshi) and Nati (Chany); daughters: Edna (Amir) Jaffa and Dina (Shmully) Halpern; twenty grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and numerous family and friends; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this twenty-third day of May, 2018, do hereby express our sorrow on the passing of Robert "Mendy" Klein and extend to her family and friends our sincere condolences.
Be It Further Resolved, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to the family of Robert "Mendy" Klein.
