The Jeff Kalish Memorial Fund was established by his close college friends and fellow DCP alums, Thomas C. Murphy and Mark Mummert.
They felt the need to keep Kalish’s memory alive at the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management by setting up a scholarship in his name.
According to Murphy, Kalish was a devoted son with a passion for life. “As a car enthusiast, mechanic, MacGyver and dog lover, he was a giving person,” Murphy stated. “He was always there for his friends and continues to watch over us all.”
As part of the scholarship application, his friends asked applicants to write a statement on “how do you relate to and support your friends?” The application strongly encouraged humorous answers, which is a testament to the impact that Jeff made on his friends.
He graduated from UF in 1992 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Building Construction. He then obtained his MBA from the University of Central Florida in 1999. Previously, Jeff worked at Disney but owned and operated San Marino Concrete at the time of his passing.
Kalish lost his battle to cancer on January 13, 2009 just a few days before he was to marry the love of his life, Blythe Carpenter.