When he was discharged from the service, he knew he needed to earn a living, but because of his baseball dreams, had never focused on his education. For 16 years he took night courses at Columbia University, learning how to read, speak, write, and learn. In the meantime, he had found unexpected success in the printing industry, building on some early good fortune to forge new ground. Any time you’re in a grocery store, think of Joel—he’s the one responsible for putting barcodes on food labels.
He attributes a lot of his success to luck—and the ability to act on it—and Joel’s luck is still going strong. On a recent trip to Paris with his daughter and grandchildren, he fell ill, went into cardiac arrest and was declared dead. Doctors called his despondent family with the news and instructions on next steps, but were interrupted when, inexplicably, Joel started breathing again. He was back on his feet within days.
Joel doesn’t take a day for granted. At 90 years old, he just wrote and published his first book, and still works 6-7 days a week to lead his business.
“Never stop reaching for unattainable goals,” said Joel. “Get up every morning, try something new, and don’t quit. We’re all going to fail. But when you fail, you can say you learned something. And that’s the best thing there is.”
Name: Joel R.
Lived In: Manhattan
Birth Year: 1934
Resident Of: Spring Meadows
Printing Pioneer. Lifelong Learner. Miracle Man.
Most Likely to Take Up a New Career
“Every day I look forward to the excitement of learning things I did not know.”
The odds have never been stacked in his favor, but Joel R. has always had an ace up his sleeve—his seemingly ceaseless ambition.
Born in Manhattan, Joel’s father died when he was two, after which he and his mother struggled to make ends meet. He grew up poor, but he had a desire to succeed and relentless drive. As a young kid, he set his sights on becoming a professional baseball player, narrowly missing a professional contract with the Red Sox. Undeterred, he pressed forward, but was soon drafted into the Army to serve in the Korean war.