JANUARY 2022 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 71
LEO LIEBOWITZ
REALTY COMPANY CHAIRMAN
BY SHEYLA TORRES
Former Chairman and Co-founder of
Getty Realty Corp. Leo Liebowitz died on
Dec. 12 at the age of 94 from complications
of Covid-19. He was born in Bay Ridge
Brooklyn on Sept. 28, 1927.
Liebowitz began his work career as a
mechanic for the City of New York. He
later moved on to leasing gas stations and
by 1985 had purchased many of Getty Oil
Company’s holdings.
Liebowitz was the co-founder of the
company which started off with a few
portfolio listings and has grown over
time. Now the company has more than
1,000 properties which they either own
or lease. Getty Realty Corp. specializes
in the acquisition, ownership, leasing,
fi nancing, and redevelopment of nonresidential
properties.
In February he announced his retirement,
aft er 60 years of developing Getty
Realty Corp. He was the company’s chief
executive offi cer from 1985 until 2010. He
was also its president, from 1971 until
2004.
Liebowitz was also president of the Society
of Independent Gasoline Marketers
of America from 1995 to 1997. He won the
organization’s Distinguished Marketer
Award in 2000. The award is given to
members who contribute to the betterment
of the petroleum industry.
In 2000 he was also awarded the Ellis
Island Medal of Honor which is given to
commemorate those who immigrated to
the United States during the Ellis Island era.
He was also on the regional advisory board
of Chemical bank, now JP Morgan Chase.
In his personal life, he was a boatsman.
and his love of being on the water developed
into a lifelong pastime, which he
shared with his family and beloved dogs.
Liebowitz is survived by his wife, his
brother, six children, 18 grandchildren,
and 15 great-grandchildren.
OBITUARY
Former Getty Realty Co. Chairman and Co-Founder Leo Liebowitz and
George H.W. Bush. (Courtesy Rob Liebowitz)
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