In Memoriam: Remembering Dave Lissak
Dave Lissak
1938–2020
Remembering Dave Lissak
We remember David Lissak (1938–2020) as a dedicated New York City lighting professional, born and bred, and as a remarkable colleague and mentor. His first job out of the Army in 1963 was with Lightolier at 10 East 36th Street, working as an assistant purchasing agent for decorative lighting components. He became assistant to the Vice President of Lightolier, George Blumenthal, where he worked in-house with the specification sales team. As a specification sales representative himself, Dave called on the most prestigious architects and engineers in New York, and – as the profession came into its own – the local lighting design community. He was a long-standing member of both the IES and DLF organizations.
Dave committed his entire career to Lightolier, working there for more than 50 years until his retirement in 2014. He served as an insightful and generous mentor to generations of Lightolier trainees, educating them on the nuances of the New York City lighting and construction industries and their impact on the built environment. “We thank David for being an amazing mentor and showing us all the art and sciences of lighting! Only David could demonstrate a Lightolier 1x4 parabolic in a full length fur coat,” says Mitchell Bloomberg from International Lights.
Dave was born in Brooklyn and proudly attended Boy's High School, later graduating from The City College Of New York. He was a decorated veteran, having served in the Special Intelligence Service during the Vietnam War, stationed in Saigon. At home, his passion was his exquisite collection of antiques and fine art.
