Norman Ember Dies At 85

Norman Ember

Norman Ember, who had homes in Manhattan and Quogue, died from complications caused by congestive heart failure and acute respiratory disease in his Manhattan apartment on Saturday, April 2. He was 85.

Family members said Mr. Ember—who became a private investor in the 1980s, following more than two decades at the helm of his clothing company—was one of the first to blow the whistle on an investment scam that led to hundreds of claims being filed against Jack Grubman, when he worked for Citigroup’s Salomon Smith Barney. Mr. Ember, who lost more than $200,000 when he was tricked into buying stock when it was actually losing value, was later reimbursed for his losses while Mr. Grubman and his former employer were hit with a $15 million fine in 2003 for issuing fraudulent stock reports, according to Forbes.com.

Survivors described Mr. Ember’s lawsuit against Citigroup’s Salomon Smith Barney as a “clarion call” against Wall Street corruption.

Mr. Ember’s clothing company, Silverstyle, was an industry leader from the 1950s through the 1970s. He pioneered the concept of creating an affordable version of high-style clothing in half sizes, according to his relatives.

A World War II veteran, Mr. Ember earned two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star before graduating from Columbia University with his master’s degree. Family members said he decided in the 1980s to pursue private investing, explaining that he sought the quieter life–a role he played with little fanfare until his 2003 lawsuit.

In the 1980s, family members said Mr. Ember, while working with architect Robert A.M. Stern and designer Albert Hadley, helped build Sunstone, a grand estate in Quogue that features a two-story lighthouse-like tower that offers a panoramic view of Shinnecock Bay. The home has been photographed frequently since its construction in 1987.

Mr. Ember continued to split his time between Manhattan and Quogue until the death of his third wife, Susan, according to survivors. His three sons—Max, Peter and Richard—were at his bedside when he died.