Arthur H. White, 90; Public Opinion Research Firm Co-Founder

Contributed.

Arthur Henry White, devoted to wife Vivien and his family and tireless in his efforts to address societal challenges, died Aug. 25 at Stamford Hospital of complications from a stroke. He was 90 years old and a resident of Stamford for 58 years.

Born March 30, 1924 in Boston to the late Maurice and Frieda White, Mr. White attended Boston Latin School. He interrupted his studies at Harvard University to enlist in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Upon his return, Mr. White completed his undergraduate degree in 1947 but was considered by Harvard to be a Member of the Class of 1945, a custom extended to military veterans at the time. Mr. White attended Harvard Law School for one year, and found it so boring he transferred to Harvard Business School. He received his MBA in 1951.

Mr. White’s passion for social activism and knack for being in the right place at the right time were evident early on. He cheered on June 5, 1947, as Gen. George Marshall delivered his speech at Harvard outlining the Marshall Plan to rebuild post-war Europe. At the rally, Mr. White met Vivien Karatz of Chicago, a chemistry major at Wellesley College. The pair married in 1949.

Mr. White co-founded Yankelovich, Skelly and White, the public opinion research firm, with college roommate Dan Yankelovich and the late Florence Skelly in 1959. Over the next 25 years, Mr. White directed more than 200 assignments for businesses, universities, government agencies and nonprofits. He came to recognize the powerful axis that exists when private and public forces work together. That realization spurred him to found two leading national nonprofits: Reading is Fundamental (RIF), the children’s literacy organization, with Margaret McNamara in 1966, and; Jobs for the Future (JFF), the job training and education organization, with Hilary Pennington in 1983. Then-Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas convinced Mr. White to bring the program to his state in 1988. Later, President Clinton appointed Mr. White to the National Commission for Employment Policy (1994-95) and the Federal Prison Industries Corp. (1997-2002,) of which he was elected vice chairman. Mr. White also served for many years as special advisor to the Director of the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ), Bureau of Prisons, and joked that he avoided many long airport security lines by flashing his DOJ badge.

Thoughtful and respectful; fearless, relentless but always humble, Mr. White was one-half of one of Stamford’s most admired power couples. Vivien White is a leading advocate for the arts at the local and state levels and is active in the Urban League and other civic organizations. Mr. White served on the Stamford Planning Board, presiding as its chairman over planning of the first major renewal of downtown Stamford during the 1960s. He also served on the Stamford Housing Authority. At the state level, Mr. White was appointed by three Connecticut governors — Thomas Meskill, Ella Grasso and William O’Neill — to the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (1972-87.) There, too, he took the helm as chairman, transforming housing in Connecticut.

Mr. White lived the credo that “Generations Will Benefit” from philanthropic works. He spent much of his last 30 years in nonprofit service: guiding RIF and JFF through periods of growth and recession; serving as vice chairman of Connecticut Appleseed, the social justice organization, among other nonprofits; and always bringing new ideas to the fore. At the time of his death, Mr. White was driving the progress of two projects, which he had conceived. One, in partnership with Optimus Health Care, improves patients’ ability to self-manage chronic diabetes and cardiovascular conditions with newly trained health coaches and mobile technology. Called the Connecticut Telehealth Workforce Partnership, it will enable seniors to live more independently and minimize the frequency of costly hospital re-admissions. The second is an innovative program to improve literacy and family relationships for at-risk children who have a parent in prison. Called CLICC (Connecting through Literacy: Incarcerated Parents, their Children and Caregivers,) the program received substantial federal support through the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year — further testament to Mr. White’s vision and tenacity. He will be remembered as a legend in the nonprofit world.

His wife Vivien White survives him, along with the couple’s son, Joe, of Austin, TX; daughter-in-law Kim and beloved grandchildren Daniel, Benjamin and Sarah.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, at Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Rd., Stamford.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to “CT Appleseed-CLICC” or “CT Appleseed-Health Training” and sent to CT Appleseed Center, 25 Dudley Road, Wilton, CT 06897.