Sheldon R. Coons was born January 12, 1895 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. His early career was spent in advertising and public relations. At the age of 24 he came to New York to work at Gimbel Bros., leaving there in 1931 to join the advertising agency of Lord & Thomas, then run by Albert Lasker. In 1940 he created his own company, becoming a business counselor to various corporations, including RCA, Pepsi-Cola, Schenley Distillers, the National Broadcasting Company and others. He was brought onto the Board of Trustees of The Mount Sinai Hospital in 1936 because of his expertise in public relations. He was quickly put to work reviewing various publications that the Hospital produced, and advising on fundraising and media efforts. His contributions to the Board and Mount Sinai expanded well beyond its publicity efforts over the years. As Chairman of the Nominating Committee for over two decades, Mr. Coons played an important role in recruiting many of the Board members and officers of the Hospital and Medical School. Mr. Coons was instrumental in bringing the late Gustave L. Levy, Board Chairman, to Mount Sinai, and when Mr. Levy died, stepped in to fill the breach. Mr. Coons, who was for many years the First Vice Chairman of the three Medical Center Boards, actively served on many vital committees, including the Committee on Education, the Committee on Public Relations, and the Executive Committee, all as Chairman. In 1975, Coons was awarded a Jacobi Medallion by the Mount Sinai Alumni in recognition of his efforts on Mount Sinai?s behalf, and in 1979 received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the School. Mr. Coons died on September 21, 1979. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, his son Joseph, and daughter, Deirdre. Another son, Sheldon Coons, Jr., was killed in World War II, and Mr. Coons endowed a lecture room and a lecture in his honor.
1928-1978