Jorge Farber

Class of 2008

A native of Buenos Aires, Jorge Farber was born on February 29, 1948. After attending high school at Lycee Akiba in France, Jorge went on to the City College of New York where he graduated in 1970 and four years later received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the City University of New York. He earned a Phi Beta Kappa Award in science.

Jorge married Vivian in 1977, and they have raised three daughters, Shoshana, Estee and Debbie.

After holding two post-doctoral research positions and spending seven years as an assistant professor at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Jorge joined the candy industry in 1984 as plant manager at Madelaine Chocolate Novelties, Inc., which was owned by his father-in-law, Henry Kaye.

In 1989, Jorge rose to vice-president and COO and became president of the company in 2000. During his tenure at Madelaine, the company has become the largest private employer in Rockaway, NY.

Jorge says he learned the business from his mentor, Henry, who had an intense personal commitment to Madelaine. Jorge says he has tried to emulate that devotion and maintain long-term customer relationships.

Jorge says he is delighted several members of the next generation of the family have joined the company, where he tries to teach them the same principles of honesty, integrity, patience and perseverance that he learned from Henry.

Since 2002, Jorge has served on the National Confectioners Association Executive Board and its Board of Trustees, as well as on the All Candy Expo Expansion Task Force and Committee. He also led the efforts to bring the Gourmet Marketplace to the All Candy Expo. In 2007, he won the Kettle Award, which he says was a gratifying moment in his career.

Jorge’s leisure interests include skiing, bowling, opera and classical music. He is president of the Belle Harbor Jewish Center, and is a life-time member of the New York Academy of Science.