PPB August 2020

T he last time Athol Ofsowitz, MAS, attempted to “put his behind in a chair,” he says, was more than 50 years ago, when he tried coercing his late mother into letting him attend the University of California, Berkeley. The then 20-year-old Ofsowitz, who is from South Africa but was living in Dublin, Ireland, at the time to pursue educational opportunities, met a U.S. Embassy official at a synagogue there. Upon hearing of the situation, the official offered to write a letter to his alma mater UC Berkeley on Ofsowitz’s behalf to introduce him as a potential student. Ofsowitz, to his great joy and surprise, learned he was accepted, and when he phoned his mother in South Africa to tell her the fantastic news—and to ask that she send her next check to California, where he was headed—she promptly told him, as mothers often do, that it was time to come home. When it came to school, Ofsowitz’s interest in studying would either fizzle or divert elsewhere, and a few other attempts at school—including the trip to Dublin—had not gone as expected. “Everything else became important to me except studying,” he says. The next time he’d attempt—and succeed—at putting “his behind in a chair” would be to earn his CAS certification at 76, and later his MAS from PPAI—just in time for his 77th birthday. “If you’re serious about being in this business, you’d better educate yourself, because it’s changing on a daily basis, especially with the advent of the internet and social media,” he says. “I would also encourage everyone to take advantage of the multitude of services that PPAI has to offer.” Ofsowitz’s accomplishment shows that no matter where you are in life, or in your career, it’s always a good time to further your education. He joined Irvine, California-based distributor Monkey Joe Speak two-and-a- half years ago—a decision he says is “one of the best” he’s made—and was previously with another distributor for 11 years, but most of his work experience has been in other industries. In South Africa, Ofsowitz worked in the liquor business, having owned liquor stores where he specialized in wine sales. When he emigrated to the United States with his wife and two children, he moved to Houston—where his sister and her family had emigrated earlier and where he lived for 18 years. He was naturally interested in the wine business, having previously exported South African wines to the U.S. He took up a position with a liquor distributor, where he helped start a wine division. Years later, he went to work for a high-end, contemporary Italian furniture business, where he progressed from an entry- level position as a warehouse employee to operations manager and sales manager. When Ofsowitz’s employer offered him the opportunity to relocate to Irvine, California, and work as the operations manager It’s Never Too Late To Learn At 77, Athol Orowitz, MAS, sets an example that it’s never a better time than now to continue your education. By Danielle Renda Athol Ofsowitz July 10, 2020 At ho l Of sowi t z , MAS 88 | AUGUST 2020 | CONNECT