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Walter Sondheim Biography

Walter Sondheim, Jr.
Senior Adviser
Greater Baltimore Committee

Walter Sondheim, Jr., senior adviser to the Greater Baltimore Committee, has been a public servant and civic leader for more than 50 years. He has been instrumental in creating the Baltimore City that exists today.

Educated at The Park School and Haverford College, Sondheim had a full career as a senior vice president and treasurer of Hochschild, Kohn & Company . During that time, he became president of the Board of School Commissioners of Baltimore City and led the immediate desegregation of the school system in 1954 following the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education. He then devoted himself to the renewal of downtown Baltimore, first as chairman of the Urban Renewal and Housing Commission, and later in other capacities that continue to the present day.

After retiring from Hochschild, Kohn & Company in 1970, Sondheim began a second career as chairman of Charles Center-Inner Harbor Management, Inc., and for 17 years he guided the development of what has come to be known as "The Baltimore Renaissance," which made Baltimore a model for downtown renewal and development.

In 1987, he became senior adviser to the Greater Baltimore Committee and later served as the Interim President. He has continued his active involvement in education through leadership positions with a number of private and public educational institutions, the chairmanship of the Governor's Commission on School Performance, and most recently, as a member of the Maryland State Board of Education, where he served as president from 1998-2000.

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Walter Sondheim's Complete Resume

PERSONAL
Born
Baltimore, Maryland July 25, 1908

Married
Janet E. Blum February 15, 1934 (Deceased September 9, l992)

Children
John W. Sondheim (1939)
Ellen S. Dankert (1943)

Grandchildren
Sarah K. Baron (1966)
Rebecca E. Baron (1968)

EDUCATION
The Park School, Baltimore, MD - Graduated 1925
Haverford College, Haverford, PA - B.S. 1929

CAREER
1929-1970
Hochschild, Kohn & Company (retired as Senior Vice President & Treasurer)

1942-1943
Director, U.S. Employment Service for Maryland and Assistant State Director, War Manpower Commission for Maryland (loaned by Hochschild, Kohn & Co.)

1943-1946
United States Navy (released to inactive duty as Lieutenant)

1970-1991
Charles Center-Inner Harbor Management (later Center City-Inner Harbor Management):
  • Vice-Chairman 1970-1972
  • Chairman 1972-1989
  • Chairman Emeritus & Sr. Advisor 1989-1991

1982-1989
Market Center Development Corp.:

  • Chairman 1982-1985
  • Director 1982-1989

1984-1986
Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Baltimore

1984-1989
President, Charles Street Management Corp.

1987-Present
Senior Advisor, Greater Baltimore Committee
(Interim President 1993)

BUSINESS DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (Retired)
  • Baltimore Life Insurance Company (Retired)
  • Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company of Maryland (Retired)
  • Fair Lanes, Inc. (Retired)
  • First Maryland Bancorp (Retired)
  • First National Bank of Maryland (Retired)
  • Provident Savings Bank of Baltimore (Resigned)
  • Baltimore Radio Show (WFBR) (Resigned)
  • Legal Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland (Resigned)
  • The Shelter Foundation, Inc. (Board Member)

AWARDS

  • LL.D, Haverford College - 1963
  • LL.D, Morgan State University - 1963
  • John Franklin Goucher Medal, Goucher College - 1977
  • Dr. of Public Service, University of Md. at Baltimore - 1979
  • President's Medal, Johns Hopkins University - 1987
  • Dr. of Public Service, University of Md. Baltimore County - 1988
  • D.H.L., Villa Julie College - 1991
  • Dean's Special Recognition Award, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine - 1994
  • University Service Award, Phi Kapa Phi, University of Maryland Chapter - 1994
  • D.H.L., Goucher College - 1995
  • D.H.L., Towson State University - 1995
  • Pro Urbe Award, College of Notre Dame of Maryland - 1998
  • D.H.L., Western Maryland College - 1999
  • Volunteer of a Lifetime Award, Alexis Tocqueville Society (United Way of Central MD) 2001

**********

  • McCormick Civilian Award - 1958
  • Interfaith Award - 1959
  • Citation by National Conference of Christians and Jews for Distinguished Service in the Field of Human Relations - 1964
  • William J. Casey Award, American Red Cross - 1973
  • Man of the Year Award, Advertising Club of Baltimore - 1975
  • Irving Blum Award, United Fund of Central Maryland - 1976
  • Frances Morton Froelicher Civic Statesman Award, Citizens Planning and Housing Association - 1976
  • Henrietta Szold Award, Temple Oheb Shalom - 1977
  • Honoree, National Jewish Hospital/National Asthma Center - 1983
  • H. Vernon Eney Award, Maryland State Bar Association - 1984
  • J. Jefferson Miller Award, Greater Baltimore Committee -1985
  • Community Leadership Award, American Institute of Architects, Baltimore Chapter - 1985
  • Realtor CHOICE Award, Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors - 1986
  • Equal Opportunity Award, Baltimore Urban League - 1987
  • Civic Achievement Award, Engineering Society of Baltimore - 1987
  • Honoree, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Maryland Region - 1987
  • Housing Man of the Year, National Housing Conference - 1988
  • Cross Bottony Award, St. Mary's City Commission - 1989
  • Paul Harris Fellow - Rotary Foundation
  • Volunteers of America Maryland Community Service Award - 1989
  • World Trade Center Plaza named "Sondheim Plaza" - 1989
  • Honoree, Friends of the Park Heights Street Academy - 1990
  • Victorine Q. Adams Humanitarian Award (Fuel Fund of Central Maryland) - 1992
  • Outstanding Service Award, Maryland Retail Merchants Assn. - 1992
  • Washington College, 1782 Society Award - 1993
  • Judge Sarah T. Hughes Award for Public Service, Goucher College - 1993
  • Johns Hopkins University Heritage Award - 1994
  • National Outstanding Service Award, Volunteers of America - 1994
  • Distinguished Citizen Award, Boy Scouts of America, Baltimore Area Council - 1994
  • Downtown Baltimore Award, Downtown Partnership - 1995
  • Central Maryland Business Hall of Fame, Junior Achievement, - 1995
  • Benemerenti Papal Medal from Pope John Paul II - 1996
  • Community Law Center Honoree - 1996
  • Speaker's Medallion, Maryland House of Delegates - 1997
  • "Legend & Leadership" Award Baltimore Association of Commerce - 1997
  • Distinguished Service Award, National Association of State Boards of Education - 1997
  • Baltimore Sun, A Marylander of the Year - 1997
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Academy of Tourism and Travel - 1998
  • Regional Visionary Award, Greater Baltimore Committee - 1998
  • Scholarship Honoree, Baltimore City Community College - 1999
  • Baltimore Sun - One of the Twenty-one "Marylanders of the Century" - 1999
  • Marylander of the Year Award, Maryland Colonial Society - 2000
  • Outstanding Leadership Centennial Tribute, Coppin State College - 2000
  • Achievement Initiative for Minority Students - Distinguished Service Award - 2000

CIVIC ACTIVITIES (Current)

  • Maryland State Board of Education - Member 1995 - ; President 1998 - 2000
  • The Shriver Center (UMBC) - National Advisory Board - Member
  • The Abell Foundation - Trustee
  • State Open Meetings Compliance Board - Chairman
  • Mercy Medical Center - Trustee
  • Gottschalk Foundation -Trustee
  • William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund Board of Governors - Member
  • Baltimore Arts Stabilization Committee - Member
  • Washington College Board of Visitors and Governors - Member Emeritus
  • Maryland Psychiatric Research Institute Technical Review Committee - Chairman
  • Goucher College - Trustee Emeritus; former Chairman
  • Baltimore Mental Health Systems - Chairman Emeritus
  • American Red Cross Baltimore Regional Chapter - Honorary Director; former Vice-Chairman
  • Jewish Family Services - Honorary Director; former President
  • Baltimore Courthouse and Law Museum Foundation - Member
  • Carroll Park Restoration Foundation Board - Member
  • Downtown Management Authority Board - Member
  • William Donald Schaefer Civic Fund - Trustee
  • Maryland Non-Profits Ethics Initiative Advisory Committee - Chairman
  • Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability and Partnerships - Member
  • National Historic Seaport Advisory Board - Member
  • American Visionary Art Museum Board - Member

CIVIC ACTIVITIES (Former)

  • ACTION (American Council to Improve Our Neighborhoods) - Director
  • Advisory Committee on Police-Community Relations - Member
  • Advisory Committee, Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies - Member; former Chairman
  • American Jewish Committee Baltimore Chapter - Director
  • Associated Jewish Charities of Baltimore - Director
  • Baltimore Archdiocese - Catholic Schools Community Partnership Task Force - Member
  • Baltimore Board of School Commissioners - President
  • Baltimore City Foundation - President
  • Baltimore City Health Department Advisory Committee - Chairman
  • Baltimore City Life Museums - Trustee
  • Baltimore Council of Social Agencies - Vice-President
  • Baltimore Foundation for Architecture Board of Trustees - Member
  • Baltimore Goodwill Industries - Director
  • Baltimore Jewish Council - Director
  • Baltimore Museum of Art - Trustee
  • Baltimore Streetcar Museum Advisory Board - Member
  • Baltimore Urban Coalition - Director
  • Baltimore Urban League - Director
  • Baltimore Urban Renewal and Housing Commission; Housing Authority of Baltimore City - Chairman
  • "Baltimore Walks" (Pedestrian & Bicycle Trails) - Honorary Chairman
  • The Bryn Mawr School Board of Managers - Member
  • Bureau of Employment Security Federal Advisory Council - Employer Member
  • Celebrate Maryland, Inc. - Chairman Emeritus
  • Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Baltimore - Director
  • "The Choice Program" Advisory Board - Member
  • Citizens Planning and Housing Association - Director
  • Charles Street Management Corporation - President
  • Committee to Study Conflict of Interest Laws of Baltimore City - Member
  • Community Chest of Baltimore - President
  • Community Chest - Red Cross Joint Fund Committee - Member
  • Council for Equal Business Opportunity - Director
  • Crusade for Freedom - State Chairman
  • Fight Blight Fund - Director
  • Francis Scott Key Hospital - Trustee
  • Governor's Advisory Council on Civil Defense - Member
  • Governor's Commission on Compensation and Personnel Policies - Chairman
  • Governor's Commission on School Performance - Chairman
  • Governor's Committee to Promote Employment of the Physically Handicapped - Member
  • Greater Baltimore Committee Executive Committee - Member
  • Haverford College Political Science Advisory Council - Member
  • Haverford Society of Maryland - Vice-President
  • Historic St. Mary's Commission - Member
  • Johns Hopkins Center for Metropolitan Planning and Research Advisory Board - Member
  • Junior League of Baltimore Community Resource Board - Member
  • The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Joint Committee on Clinical Investigation - Member
  • League of Women Voters Finance Advisory Committee - Member
  • Legal Aid Bureau Campaign Committee - Honorary Co-Chairman
  • Marriage Counseling Service - Director
  • Maryland Dental Service Corporation - Member
  • Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission - Vice-Chairman
  • Maryland Higher Education Commission - Chairman
  • Maryland Hospital Association Council for Quality Health Care - Member
  • Maryland Judicial Selection Council - Vice-President
  • Maryland Sports Complex Authority - Member
  • Maryland Stadium Authority Architectural/Engineering Selection Committee - Chairman
  • Maryland State Advisory Committee for Comprehensive Health Planning - Member
  • Maryland State Bar Association Long Range Planning Committee - Member
  • Maryland State Bar Association Task Force on Organization of U.S. District Court - Member
  • Maryland State Commission on Hereditary Disorders - Chairman
  • Maryland State Commission on Judicial Disability - Member
  • Maryland State Committee on Interstate Banking - Member
  • Maryland State Conference of Social Welfare - Vice-President
  • Maryland State General Assembly Compensation Commission - Chairman
  • Mayor's Advisory Committee on Expressway Design - Chairman
  • Mayor's "20-Year Strategy for Downtown Baltimore" - Chairman
  • Mental Hygiene Society of Baltimore - Director
  • Morgan State University Board of Regents - Member
  • National Alliance of Businessmen Advisory Board - Member
  • National Conference of Christians and Jews Maryland Regional Advisory Board - Co-Chairman
  • National Retail Dry Goods Association Store Management Group - Director
  • National Retail Merchants Association Operations Division - Director
  • The Park School of Baltimore - Trustee
  • Provident Hospital - Director
  • Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Board of Directors - President
  • "To Promote Goodwill" Advisory Board - Member
  • U.S.F. Constellation Foundation - Member
  • United Negro College Fund - State Treasurer
  • University Center Planning Advisory Board - Member
  • University of Baltimore William Donald Schaefer Ctr. for Public Policy Advisory Board - Member
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County President's Advisory Board - Member
  • University of Maryland Business Executives for the Law School Board of Directors - Member
  • University of Maryland School of Medicine Board of Visitors - Member
  • Villa Julie College Resources Development Council - Chairman
  • Westminster Preservation Trust Board of Directors - Member

* * * * * * * * * *

  • Member, Temple Oheb Shalom

CLUBS

  • The Center Club
  • 14 W. Hamilton Street Club
  • Johns Hopkins Club
Greater Baltimore Committee . 111 S. Calvert St. Suite 1700 Baltimore, MD 21202 . 410-727-2820 . 410-539-5705 (f) .