Walter S. Neumann, 85, a former Northbrook resident who ran a Chicago advertising display company, died Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Wellington Regional Medical Center in Florida after a long illness. Born in Germany, Mr. Neumann immigrated to Chicago in 1934 and got his first job as an assistant production manager at Arvey Corp., an advertising display company owned by his cousin Joseph Regenstein. After jobs with Arvey’s lamination division and later Stone Container Corp., Mr. Neumann landed a job in 1938 as a factory superintendent for Rapid Mounting and Finishing Co., a South Loop advertising display company. He worked his way up to general manager and eventually was named president, chief executive officer and chairman of the company. He headed the company for 15 years until his retirement in 1981. He moved to Florida. “He started with nothing,” said his daughter Ceil Rothbart. “He had two dollars in his pocket off the boat. He didn’t speak the language and built a career and made a family and was very proud of all that.” Mr. Neumann is also survived by his wife, Toba; a son, Kenneth; another daughter, Lois Katz; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services were held Thursday.
