Morton Sloan, co-founder of New York City supermarket chain Morton Williams, died surrounded by family. He was 86.
Born in the Bronx in 1939, Sloan remained closely connected to his hometown throughout his life. A lifelong New York Yankees fan, he kept the company’s corporate offices in the Bronx, often saying he never wanted to become “too big for my britches.”
After graduating from Brandeis University, Sloan married Judith Silverson, also a Brandeis graduate. He later earned an MBA from New York University and began his career on Wall Street as an institutional analyst with Oppenheimer & Co. He subsequently joined the firm of Muriel “Micki” Siebert, the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. Industry changes following the end of fixed brokerage commissions reshaped the securities business, prompting Sloan to pursue new opportunities in food retailing.
Building on his family’s grocery business, Sloan joined his brother William, son David, son-in-law Avi Kaner and nephew Steven Sloan to found Morton Williams Supermarkets. Today, the privately owned company operates 17 stores across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Long Island, serving both neighborhood shoppers and visitors in some of New York City’s busiest residential and commercial districts.
Throughout his career, Sloan championed innovations designed to better serve urban consumers. Under his leadership, Morton Williams introduced salad bars, in-store seating, chef-prepared meals and grab-and-go dining options years before such offerings became commonplace in supermarkets.
Outside the grocery industry, Sloan pursued a lifelong passion for music, culture and education. He held subscriptions to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, studied at Juilliard’s evening division, took French courses at New York University and attended world history classes at The New School and lecture programs at the 92nd Street Y. An avid skier, he traveled extensively to ski throughout the western United States, Switzerland, France and Canada.
Sloan was also widely recognized for his philanthropy. He supported numerous charitable and cultural organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, MasterVoices, Landmark on Main Street, Temple Beth Israel, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, Jewish National Fund, Innovation: Africa and Hadassah.
He is survived by his children, Liz Kaner and David Sloan; daughter-in-law Sylvia Sloan; and grandchildren Julia Kaner Meisel, Jack Kaner, Jonathan Kaner and Antonia Stefanescu, all of whom lived nearby and remained an important part of his life.