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Board of Trustees Officers: Chair Emeritus
John A. Couri
'63 B.A. Arts and Sciences
Chair
Elected 1998
John A. Couri is President of Couri Foundation, Inc. which was founded in 1988 to operate youth programs for underprivileged children. Today the Foundation has expanded its focus and, in addition to operating a camp program for underprivileged children in northern Maine, the Foundation also operates a large Senior Center in Bangor, Maine, and a Senior Center in Moose River, Maine. In partnership with another family, the Couri family formed the Ridgefield Senior Center Foundation, Inc., of which Mr. Couri is President. The Ridgefield Senior Center Foundation was formed to build and operate a 15,000 square foot Senior Center in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in order to serve the local senior population. The new Senior Center is named "Founders Hall".
In 1983 Mr. Couri co-founded Duty Free International, Inc. (DFI) now Duty Free Americas, Inc., and served as President and Chief Executive Officer. DFI became a public company in May 1989 and was listed on th eNew York Stock Exchange. The Company was sold to BAA plc, a British company, in August 1997. Mr. Couri continued to serve as a Consultant to the Company until December 1999.
Prior to forming DFI, Mr. Couri spent several years in sales for Couristan Inc., a large rug and carpet importer. In 1972, he entered the duty free business as one of the founders of IDF Services Inc., serving as president from 1978 until 1987.
In 1990 Mr. Couri was named Entrepreneur of the Year, New England Region; served as a member of the Listed Company Advisory Board of the New York Stock Exchange from January 1993 to December 1995; was a member of the Board of Directors of the Datahr Rehabilitation Institute from June 1991, serving as Chairman from 1997 to May of 2000; and is active in affairs at Syracuse University, where he became Chairman of the Board of Trustees in May 2004.
On June 5, 1993, Syracuse University awarded Mr. Couri the George Arents Pioneer Medal for Excellence in Business. This award is the highest honor that Syracuse University awards to its alumni and is based on excellence in the individual's field of endeavor.
Mr. Couri was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 22, 1941; received a BA Degree in Economics and Business Administration from Syracuse University in 1963; and served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1966. Mr. Couri and his wife, Elaine, live in Ridgefield, Connecticut and have a son, Christopher.
