Pittsburgh titan and former PNC Bank CEO Sy Holzer dies at 75

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

He was beloved for his civic and philanthropic work for the Hillman Cancer Center and others

Former PNC Bank President and CEO Sylvan M. “Sy” Holzer, beloved for his civic and philanthropic work for the Hillman Cancer Center and others, died in his sleep Sunday.

Mr. Holzer, 75, of Upper St. Clair, was surrounded by his family leading up to his death, according to his son, Brian Holzer of Louisville, Ky.

The son of Holocaust survivors, Mr. Holzer rose in the banking industry from a management trainee in 1972 to regional president and CEO of PNC bank. He retired in late 2016.

His parents’ plight as Holocaust survivors and their drive to make a new life were formative of Mr. Holzer’s character, his son said.

His mother, Charlotte, first worked at Heinz while his dad, Max, was a door-to-door salesman. They lived in Squirrel Hill.

“My father went from nothing to this brand, Sy, and it never went to his head and he used it to give back to others,” his son said.

Mr. Holzer treated sports icons and city leaders the same as he would treat the parking attendant at PNC bank.

“He had no polish. He would sit there and beat the crap out of people with sarcasm and wit.”

Mr. Holzer’s decadeslong dedication to civic and community work, serving on boards unpaid, was remarkable.

He chaired a special council at the Hillman Cancer Center with the Hillmans, working closely with his childhood friend, Dr. Stanley Marks, chairman of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

The council raised more than $200 million and Mr. Holzer was instrumental in recruiting talent to the center.

“Besides being the incredible person he was, Sy was a tireless supporter of the cancer center. I’m not sure we’d be where we are today without him,” Mr. Marks said.

Mr. Holzer’s humor and his Pittsburgh pedigree shone through in many of his interactions, Dr. Marks and others said.

During construction of the cancer center, Mr. Holzer and Dr. Marks would meet with Elsie Hillman for lunch not at the Duquesne Club but at Ritter’s Diner in Bloomfield, Dr. Marks said.

David Morehouse, former president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Penguins, said: “Sy was more than a friend. Hard working, loyal, and generous. He was always there for me and countless others. Pittsburgh lost a true giant.”

Pitt Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg said Mr. Holzer’s advocacy work, including with the Hillman Cancer Center, was a “telling example” of how he worked hard for the Pittsburgh region.

“Sy Holzer was a tireless champion of this region,” Mr. Nordenberg said. “Because he literally seemed to know everyone and was engaged with so many critically important organizations, he was a master at creating meaningful relationships between people, as well as bridges between people and worthy causes.”

Mr. Holzer served on many boards including Bethany Board of Trustees, the Pittsburgh Opera, Fred Rogers Foundation and the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.

“Sy Holzer was a true Pittsburgh original and an upbeat ambassador who enthusiastically promoted the city he loved,” Duquesne University President Ken Gormley said. “He was proud of growing up on the scrappy streets of Greenfield, of modest means. He especially loved to tell the story of how a Spiritan priest at Duquesne intervened when his father got ill and his family had no income. The priest paid Sy's tuition so that he could finish his degree.

“Every friend of Sy Holzer felt energized and special. And every friend of Sy Holzer now feels a terrible sense of loss with his passing."

Mr. Holzer is survived by his wife, Cathy of 54 years, his brother Dennis, his two children, Brian and Jodie, and five grandchildren.

First Published: June 16, 2024, 11:26 p.m.
Updated: June 17, 2024, 2:07 p.m.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituaries/2024/06/16/sy-holzer-dies-pittsburgh-pnc-bank-ceo/stories/202406160142