Max Reisman, leader of family snack firm

Max Reisman, 98, the former chairman and chief executive officer of a South Philadelphia-based pretzel company who is credited with creating the peanut-butter-filled pretzel nugget, died Monday, April 23 at his daughter's home in Kingston, Pa.

Mr. Reisman, who lived in Highland Beach, Fla., formerly lived in Wynnewood.

He was born on Sept. 18, 1913. in South Philadelphia, a son of Jacob and Eva Reisman and the youngest of five brothers and one sister. Mr. Reisman was a graduate of Overbrook High School.

He grew up working in the family business, the Reisman Pretzel Co., founded by his father in 1917. The company's primary location was at Fifth and Locust Streets. In 1960 it moved to Pennsauken.

Mr. Reisman served in World War II as a radio operator with the Army's Eighth Air Force 100th Bomb Group in Europe. After serving in the military, he returned to work at the pretzel company. He worked mainly in sales as the company grew in Philadelphia and spread to Ohio, the mid-Atlantic states, and New England.

He retired in 1988 and the company was sold in the 1990s.

Mr. Reisman was known in the snack-food industry for creating and developing the nugget. The product was sold throughout the country under numerous private label brands.

He was married for more than 50 years to Vivian Imber, who died in 1998.

He was a Mason and a board member of the USO of Philadelphia, and a founding member of the St. Joseph's University Food Marketing Academy board of governors.

Mr. Reisman was a member of the Bala Golf Club and the Green Valley Country Club in Lafayette Hill. He also enjoyed traveling around the world. He was a member of Temple Adath Israel in Merion.

He is survived by his son, Bennett; his daughter, Margery Reisman Harris; and four grandchildren.

A funeral was Tuesday, April 24.