Gary Alter, former Tampa Federation executive director

Former longtime Tampa Jewish Federation executive director Gary S. Alter, 73, of Grand Blanc, MI, died May 18.

Born in Steubenville, OH, Alter was a graduate of Hebrew Union College and devoted his adult life to Jewish communal work, mostly in the federation system including in Tampa, Flint, MI;Austin, TX, and Atlanta.

Alter was Executive Director of the Tampa Jewish Federation from 1978 to 1996. He helped organize and was a member of the multiagency “Tampa Bay 12,” the only solidarity mission to go to Israel while Scud missiles were falling during the first Gulf War in 1991.

At the time of his death, he was executive director of the Flint Jewish Federation He moved to Michigan in 2000 from Austin, TX .

In Flint, he was a member and active participant of Congregation Beth Israel, Temple Beth El, Rotary Club, 100 Club, Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee, Genesee County Census 2010 Committee, Michigan Jewish Conference, Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce, Urban League, the Hate Crimes Taskforce, the Flint Golf Club and Professional Golf Teacher’s Association of America.

Survivors include his wife Emily; children, Dr. Carol Alter and Mark Tobey, Karen and Richard Jacobson, Alison Bank and fiancé Aaron Heller and Andrew and Carrie Bank; former wife Barbara Alter of Brandon; eight grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials to the Gary Alter Flint Jewish Federation Education Fund. 619 Wallenberg St. Flint, MI 48502. (Brown Funeral Home)