John H. Benisch ’57
John H. Benisch ’57 passed away peacefully at home with family by his side on November 27, 2022. John attended Lawrenceville (New Jersey) Prep. At Dartmouth he majored in economics, was in Theta Delta Chi, played lacrosse four years, and participated in Navy ROTC. Commissioned into the U.S. Navy, he served on the destroyer Willis A. Lee, 1957-59. After a two-year period with Mobil Oil Co., John began an exceptionally successful career in real estate in New York City by joining the firm of Cross & Brown. In 1978 he formed Abrams, Benisch, Riker (ABR), a force in the commercial property market in N.Y.C. Two of the many projects he brokered were the sale of the Celanese Building near Rockefeller Center, the largest commercial property sale at the time, and leasing and management of the Seagram Building on Park Avenue. In 1985 ABR merged with Collins Intl. and he continued as a principal of Collins/ABR. John was a wise and trusted realty advisor. In 1972 he joined the board of trustees of East New York Savings Bank, which later merged with M&T Bank to become the 18th largest bank in the United States. John served the Salvation Army, Trinity Church, St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, and Dartmouth. John loved interacting with people wherever he was. He carried a strong spiritual faith throughout his life. He is survived by four children and their families. His wife, Muriel, predeceased him.
