D&H Chairman Emeritus Izzy Schwab Passes Away, Mourned As Distribution Titan

Izzy Schwab, 90, who built D&H Distributing into an IT distribution powerhouse, passed away on January 28 of natural causes surrounded by his family.

D&H Distributing Chairman Emeritus Izzy Schwab, 90, who built the company into an IT distribution powerhouse, died on January 28 of natural causes surrounded by his family.

Schwab started working at D&H when he was just 16 years old when it was a Maryland distributor of RCA TVs and Whirlpool refrigerators.

It was Izzy Schwab, who took the business started by his father, David, in 1918, and built it into one of the most respected and beloved IT distributors.

Izzy also made the critical decision to make D&H an employee stock ownership company resulting in “co-owner” employees owning nearly 50 percent of the company.

Izzy began his career at D&H as an entry-level salesperson in 1957.

In 1961, Izzy moved the headquarters to Harrisburg, Pa., became vice president in 1973 and president in 1984.

In 1986, Izzy and D&H President Gary Brothers decided to move into the IT business with the distribution of Panasonic printers, Packard Bell computers and more.

“Izzy was an IT distribution visionary,” said D&H Co-President Dan Schwab, reflecting on the impact his dad had on the business. “That decision saved the company because both RCA and Whirlpool ended distribution within a three-year span, which at the time combined was over 80 percent of D&H’s revenue. Izzy saw the writing on the wall and would never again let the company be dependent on just a few vendors. Izzy saw the potential in the IT distribution business and never looked back.”

D&H Co President Michael Schwab, for his part, said Izzy was “widely respected for his vision, leadership and integrity” in business. “His priorities over six decades at were quite simple: working hard each day to ensure that our employees felt valued, and that our vendor and customers communities saw value in working with us.”

Izzy became CEO of D&H in 1999 and led the company as CEO until 2008 when it had close to $2 billion in sales, passing on the reins to his sons, Dan, and Michael, who have since more than tripled the size of the company to well over $6 billion.

Izzy – who was still going into the office two days a week as recently as November – was up until recently still having a “scotch and a cigar everyday,” said Dan Schwab, recalling his dad’s zest for life.

“My dad was known for his work ethic, his big heart and his great sense of humor,” said Dan Schwab.

In an interview with CRN in 2018, Izzy said his proudest moment was moving the company to an employee stock ownership plan. In fact, he said, that gave the company a “great edge” over other distributors, creating “team effort, camaraderie” and giving employees a vested interest in the company’s success.

“It is a people business,” he told CRN. “We can have all the warehouse equipment, computers and everything else, but people make the business go. Now that employees share in the success of the company, it has really meant a great deal to the morale and the people here."

As to one of the secrets to the company’s success, Izzy said: “As we have grown we have always made sure that we don’t lose that family business mentality.”

Izzy was proud to see how his sons took the business to the next level, saying: “I have the best job becoming chairman emeritus. I have a front row seat to watch my boys and the rest of the leadership team take the company to levels I never thought imaginable.”

In a post on LinkedIn, D&H said Izzy’s “legacy lives on through the thousands of co-owners across the United States and
Canada who carry his values forward.”

The Linkedin post said “Izzy is survived by his wife, three children, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild and one grand dog, Sugar. Their presence across generations was central to his life and legacy.”

One of Izzy’s proudest accomplishments, said Dan, was his 66-year marriage to the love of his life, Elaine. “My mother was a big part of my dad’s journey at D&H,” said Dan. “She supported him through all the difficult times and late nights.”

Above photo from left to right: Dan, Izzy and Michael Schwab.