Victor Richenstein, CE tech entrepreneur and an early importer of transistor radios, passed away in Key Biscayne, Fla., on his 93rd birthday, Feb. 18.
A longtime New York resident, Richenstein began his career in 1963 importing transistor radios under the Viscount brand and later under the Webcor brand. He became president and partner of Consolidated Merchandising, which he sold in 1967. He continued to enjoy further success in other tech ventures, and spent the last 20 years in retirement actively investing and traveling with his wife Elyse, who died seven years earlier (also on Feb. 18).
He was born in Cologne, Germany, and survived the Holocaust by escaping on the Kindertransport. He arrived in New York at 16, learned English, and joined the Army Mechanics Corps, serving in World War II.
Richenstein is survived by his sister, two sons, several grandchildren and a great-grandson.
