Dr. Ervin Colton Receives Tikkum Olam Award at Convention 2001

In recognition of his longtime interest and generous support of ORT educational programs in the State of Israel and the United States, Women's American ORT will be presenting the Tikkum Olam (Repairing the World) Award to Dr. Ervin Colton on July 19, 2001, at the Women's American ORT Convention 2001, held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.

Dr. Colton, a Milwaukee resident, retired chemist and former owner of CERAC, Inc., recently established The Suzann Colton Memorial Endowment Fund, a permanent endowment of 1 million dollars, which annually will provide substantial funds for priority projects at ORT Israel special needs schools that assist underachieving and disadvantaged students with learning difficulties in earning their matriculation certificates. Suzann Colton, who passed away in 1997, was an active member of the Milwaukee Chapter of Women's American ORT, served as Milwaukee Region President, and was deeply committed to ORT's mission of equipping people with the educational and vocational skills necessary for them to become economically self-reliant. Dr. Colton created The Suzann Colton Memorial Endowment Fund as an appropriate testament to his wife's love for and commitment to ORT's worldwide programs, and in the hope that "the students that will be helped will keep Sue's memory alive for years to come."

Previously, Dr. Colton has contributed to the ORT Young Women's 21st Century Fund, the Nathan Gould Memorial Fund and the ORT Braude International College. He and his daughter Miriam also direct the activities of the Ervin and Suzann Colton Charitable Foundation.

Dr. Colton received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Kansas and the University of Illinois respectively. He was Professor of Chemistry at Georgia Tech; Principal Scientist at International Minerals & Chemicals in Chicago; Group Leader and Director of Materials at Allis-Chalmers Corporation in Milwaukee; and started his own chemical manufacturing business, CERAC, Inc., in Milwaukee in 1964. In May of 2000, after 35 years in business, Ervin sold his 150-employee company to a financial group and the company's management team.

Ervin has four children, 11 grandchildren and is happily remarried to Beverly Colton.

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