Bernard Hyman Mendik was born on May 29, 1929, in Glasgow, Scotland, to a Jewish family and emigrated to the United States as an infant. A Scottish-born American real estate developer, he graduated from New York Law School in 1958 and went on to found the Mendik Company, a prominent Manhattan-based real estate firm known for acquiring, owning, and managing high-quality office buildings with a long-term retention strategy rather than short-term flipping. Mendik served as president of the Mendik Company and was chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York from 1992 until his death. He was Larry Silverstein's brother-in-law and former business partner. Later, he sold his holdings to Vornado Realty Trust in 1997. A noted philanthropist, Mendik was active in numerous civic organizations and served as chairman of the New York Law School Board of Trustees. He endowed programs and scholarships at various institutions, reflecting his commitment to education and community development. Mendik passed away on May 28, 2001, at the age of 71.