HEXTER, IRVING BERNARD (31 Oct. 1897-22 May 1960) achieved national stature both as a publisher of trade magazines and as a campaigner against heart disease. The native Clevelander was the son of Barney and Leah Heller Hexter and a graduate of East High School. After attending the Univ. of Michigan, he became president of a brother's clothing business, the Morreau Hexter Co. He left to start his own greeting card business and in 1930 diversified the seasonal trade by founding the Industrial Publishing Co. Aided by his wife since 1924, the former Eva Joseph, he began with a single magazine, Industry and Welding. By 1960 the company had become the nation's 5th largest trade paper publisher, with 13 publications, an aggregate monthly circulation of 510,000, and an annual gross advertising volume of $5 million. Although he had sold the concern in 1954 to Telenews Productions, Inc., of New York, he remained as president until his death. Hexter became chairman of the Cleveland Heart Ass'n. (see AMERICAN HEART ASS'N. [AHA], NORTHEAST OHIO AFFILIATE, INC.) in 1952, the same year he established the Eva and Irving Hexter Cardiopulmonary Research Laboratory at MT. SINAI MEDICAL CTR. He was credited with originating the AHA's Heart Sunday campaign technique and in 1957 became only the 3rd layman in history to receive the association's Gold Medal Award. He was a trustee of Mt. Sinai, the FOREST CITY HOSPITAL, and the CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. Hexter died at Mt. Sinai of a heart attack and was buried at Mayfield Cemetery. He was survived by Mrs. Hexter and 2 daughters, Barbara Kichler and Eva Broida.
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