Sidney Harman Dies at 92

Sidney Harman, who co-founded Harman/Kardon, the audio company later known as Harman, died on Tuesday. He was 92 and suffered from acute myeloid leukemia.

Born in Montreal in 1918, he moved to New York with his family. As a young man, he sold loudspeakers before entering the Army. In 1953, he and Bernard Kardon founded Harman/Kardon, which became an instant success. Kardon retired in 1958. Harman later sold the company when he began working for the government, serving as deputy secretary of commerce in the Carter Administration. He later bought the company back and renamed it Harman International Industries.

On the professional side, the company grew into an industry powerhouse, with a variety of brands that includes AKG, Crown, JBL, Soundcraft, and Studer, among others. A philanthropist in the arts, Harman donated $20 million to the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC, for the construction of Sidney Harman Hall. More recently, he purchased the troubled magazine Newsweek and put it together with the growing web site The Daily Beast.

Harman is survived by his wife, Jane, a former member of the House of Representatives, six children, two stepchildren, and ten grandchildren Harman International has released the following statement: "On behalf of the employees and the Board of Harman International, it is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Harman founder and chairman emeritus Sidney Harman.

"His legacy of leading-edge innovation and premium quality will continue to live on at Harman and I am grateful to Dr. Harman for the trust he placed in the company's management to carry on his legacy" said Harman Chairman, president, and CEO, Dinesh Paliwal. "He will be remembered for his great charm, his curiosity, his philanthropic and public service interests, his genuine kindness to employees and customers alike.

"Our employees join us in sending our deepest sympathies to his family."