By Rich Pollack
HIGHLAND BEACH — Bernard Featherman loved living in Highland Beach and loved even more having served as the town’s mayor.
“One of the five top highlights of his life was being mayor,” his son Andrew Featherman said.
Mr. Featherman, who was in office from 2011 to 2017, died on July 14 of heart failure. He was 94.
A man with a large presence in town, even after he left office due to term limits, Mr. Featherman saw his role as mayor as an opportunity to help other residents.
“It was a pulpit from which he could do good,” his son said.
Doing good — and helping his community — seemed to be part of Mr. Featherman’s DNA.
Until health issues made it difficult for him to get around, Mr. Featherman served as vice president of the Beach Condo Association of Boca Raton, Highland Beach and Delray Beach. He also held leadership roles on the board at the Villa Costa condominium and had previously served as president of the Highland Beach Coastal Democratic Club.
He also was sub-committee chair of the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission and served on the Legislative Policy Committee of the Florida League of Cities.
Mr. Featherman was an officer of local Rotary clubs, with Rotary holding a special place for him. It has long been a supporter of the fight against polio, a disease he contracted when he was 14.
Along with being well-known in Highland Beach, Mr. Featherman was recognized as a community leader in the Philadelphia area. He lived there much of his life — aside from a stint in Maine while his wife, Sandra, was a college president in the state — before moving to Florida in 2010. He was also recognized for his business acumen nationally, serving as a regional adviser to the Small Business Administration’s Office of the National Ombudsman. He also served on the Democratic National Committee, where he was chair of the Democratic Small Business Council.
Mr. Featherman built his family’s firm — a metal fabricator — into a multiple business conglomerate that employed hundreds and made many of the products people take for granted, like school lockers or the pallet racks in Sam’s Club or Costco. He was a two-time president of the industry’s national trade association.
A highlight of Mr. Featherman’s involvement in the small business arena was his being named Inc. magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year in the Supporter of Entrepreneurship category.
Mr. Featherman wrote a business-related column for a local newspaper in Maine, where he was involved in various organizations, and spoke about small business and entrepreneurship while appearing on a local television station.
He was also the author of two books: How to Start Your Own Small Business and Planning for Your Retirement.
His work brought him into contact with leaders on the national stage including politicians and statesmen.
“He knew presidents going back to Nixon,” Andrew Featherman said.
Affable and armed with a contagious smile, Mr. Featherman was always comfortable around others.
“He genuinely enjoyed people, and everyone wanted to be his friend,” his son said.
After Mr. Featherman’s wife of more than 60 years died in 2018, his family suggested he return to Pennsylvania to be closer to them but he would have none of it.
“He didn’t want to leave,” Andrew Featherman said. “He loved Highland Beach.”
Mr. Featherman is survived by his two sons, Andrew (Elizabeth) and John (Masako). A service was held for Mr. Featherman in Pennsylvania on July 19. A celebration of his life will be held in Highland Beach in coming months.
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