Background
Born in Philadelphia, Freedman grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Born in Philadelphia, Freedman grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He attended Northwestern University and California Institute of Technology.
He received his Navy commission at University of Notre Dame and is a World World War II veteran. He began his career in 1947 as a salesman for a Milwaukee-based gift and novelty company under his own name, Eugene Freedman, Company An example of the company"s product was a series of Western themed chalkware plaques sold under the label of the artist Dan Muller Creations.
Several years later, it became the Freedman-Mathews Corporation.
He resigned in 1958 to become one of the founders of Enesco Imports, a subsidiary of North. Shure, Company, one of the largest and oldest general merchandise catalog companies in Chicago. When North. Shure was sold to Butler Brothers in 1967, Freedman became president and Chief Executive Officer of this subsidiary, renamed Enesco Corporation.
The company was sold three more times, ending up named Stanhome, Incorporated. in 1983. In 1998, when Enesco took over Stanhome"s assets, Freedman stepped down as president and Chief Executive Officer but remained active in the corporate workings of the company thus the company presented him with the title of "Founding Chairman".
By the time he left the company in March 2005, Enesco had become Enesco Group, Incorporated, a global leader in gift and collectibles with offices in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and markets in South America.
Freedman is credited with the success of the Precious Moments gift and collectibles. Even after retirement Freedman continued to maintain a presence in the industry. He served as “Ambassador of Goodwill” for Precious Moments Incorporated. when that company took ownership of the Precious Moments figurine line, and also lent a hand to gift vendor Starlite Originals, which produced a line of collectibles, Elsa"s Safari, named in honor of Freedman’s granddaughter.
With his success, Freedman worked with Easter Seals, and served on the national board of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Freedman’s philanthropic endeavors earned him well-deserved recognition. Freedman died on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 in Maui, Hawaii, where he had a second home.
In lieu of flowers, the Freedman family requested donations be made in memory of Freedman to either the Boys and Girls Clubs of America or Easter Seals.