IPC honors Ritz Interactive’s Fred H. Lerner at 2010 Hall of Fame presentation
From left: James Chung, IPC president; Carol Lerner; Fred H. Lerner; Ted McGrath. Photo by Brandon Remler.
The International Photographic Council (IPC), a non-governmental organization of the United Nations, bestowed its highest honor—the annual Hall of Fame Award—upon Fred H. Lerner, co-founder, president, CEO, and director of Ritz Interactive Inc., Irvine, Calif. , at its luncheon meeting at the United Nations.
“Fred is a legend in his own time and would have been successful in any endeavor. To my dear friend Fred Lerner, who has dedicated himself to the worlds of peace and photography, it is my pleasure to induct this great man into the International Photographic Council,” said Ted McGrath, president and CEO, TM Associates, who introduced Lerner.
Lerner started his career at Berkey Photo in New York and went on to work at Berkey Photo locations in Virginia and California, where he currently resides. In 1977, he founded Lerner Photo, specializing in photofinishing for camera stores, and co-founded Rabbit Photo, Metro Photo, and digitalMAX in Australia. When the Qualex division of the Eastman Kodak Co. acquired Lerner Photo in 1992, Lerner stayed on as president and CEO of Kodak Processing for seven years. Recognizing the potential of the Internet, he co-founded Ritz Interactive with his long-time friend, David Ritz. Ritz Interactive operates RitzCamera.com, WolfCamera.com, CameraWorld.com, PhotoAlley.com, BoatersWorld.com, FishingOnly.com, eAngler.com, Greg Norman’s ShopAtShark.com, and other award-winning online-shopping sites. Lerner is a PMA past president and current board member. He is also a board member of the IPC and serves on the Rochester Institute of Technology McGhee Chair Advisory Committee.
“When I walk though the lobby of the United Nations and see the photography exhibits from their collection of almost one million photographs, I am reminded of the power of photography,” said Lerner. “When I see the newspaper photos taken by journalists of wars being fought thousands of miles away, I am reminded of the power of photography. When I see the Karsh portrait of Winston Churchill, a photo of Buzz Aldrin on the moon, Eisenstadt’s V-J Day shot of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square, or Ansel Adams’ Yosemite I am reminded of what one person can do to change the world . . . and of the power of photography. I am really here today to pay homage to you, the leaders of the photography industry, you who make the cameras, sell the cameras, take the photos, and share the photos that make the memories, reminding us all of the power of photography.”
The International Photographic Council (IPC) is a multinational non-governmental organization of the United Nations, composed of representatives from every major sector of the photography industry.
