Orin Lehman

Orin Allan Lehman (January 24, 1920 – February 22, 2008) was an American public servant who served as New York State’s longest-serving commissioner of New York State Office of Parks and Recreation. Early life Lehman was born to a Jewish family in Manhattan on January 24, 1920, the son of Evelyn (née Schiffer) (1893–1970) and Allan Lehman (1885–1952). He was the great-grandson of Mayer Lehman and great-nephew of Herbert H. Lehman, former New York governor and United States senator. In 1942, he graduated with a B.A. from Princeton University. In 1956, he earned a M.A. in American history from New York University and in 1961, he earned a Ph.D. in American history from New York University. Career After college, he served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II and was seriously injured during the Battle of the Bulge; he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. After the war, he helped to establish (along with Eleanor Roosevelt and Bernard Baruch) to start Just One Break, a charity dedicated to helping disabled people find employment. In 1947, Lehman worked as an associate for the family firm, Lehman Brothers.