SAN FRANCISCO—The adult industry lost a respected veteran last night when Jack Wolf of LS Distributors and Centar Books fame, and father to Synergy Erotic CEO Bob Wolf, lost his battle with cancer. He was 78.
Wolf's many industry accolades include having helped establish and build a new adult retail industry through his distribution channels. LS Distributors was Wolf's launch pad in the late 1950s, followed a decade or so later by his time at Centar Distributors, an early wholesale "one-stop" offering the industry's top brands.
Wolf built his and the company's reputation working alongside some of the industry's most significant business minds and personalities, including Ruben Sturman, Paul Wisner, Nasswalk's Elliot Schwartz and Paradise Marketing's Dennis Paradise.
"Jack Wolf was one of the few men I met early on in the business whose wisdom and friendship I admired," Paradise said. "Whenever Jack was around even the leaders looked in his direction. I'm saddened and diminished by his passing."
From LS Distributors, Wolf became point-man for Wisner's San Francisco-based Centar Books, where he worked with San-Oak Distributors' Don Warnecke to service the entire West Coast with adult books, movies, pocket-novels and magazines. Adult novelties became an integral part of the retail market thanks to their work.
Warnecke and Wolf eventually sold their growing distributorships to the then-growing Adult SuperSource in the mid-’90s, and Wolf spent his retirement with his wife of 40 years, Nancy, and donating countless hours of his time at various charitable organizations, including the local Lion's Club.
"Jack always felt the Lion's Club's quiet, behind-the-scenes manner of helping those with seeing disabilities was a fitting legacy for a man who didn't need a pair of glasses until he was well into his 50s," Synergy's Wolf said. "Jack was a quiet, humble, decent and honest man, remembered well by everyone who knew him.
"This world is greatly diminished by his loss."
"I started working with Jack at Centar around 1980," Elliot Schwartz of Nasswalk said. "I always found him to be a tough businessman but always very honorable. A handshake always sealed the deal. And on a personal note, I found Jack very warm and caring, and I'm going to miss his smile. The industry has lost one of the good guys."
Jack is survived by his daughter, Roberta; son, Bob; and granddaughter Brittany, who greatly appreciate the industry's positive thoughts and condolences, but request privacy while they mourn the loss of a good businessman, unparalleled personal friend, and dedicated father.
