Description:
Stephen Blocher was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1943. Raised in a close-knit Jewish and Italian neighborhood in the Flatbush/Midwood section, he grew up surrounded by family and tradition.
In 1963, Blocher was drafted into the US Army and served two years, including a year in Korea. He declined multiple offers to attend Officer Candidate School, a decision that likely kept him out of combat in Vietnam.
After the Army, Blocher began a successful 37-year career at IBM, rising rapidly through the management ranks. His work took him across the US and internationally, including a cherished assignment in Paris, France, where he and his family embraced European culture and travel. He later transitioned to nonprofit leadership roles with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation.
The Rutgers Oral History Archives received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. In the 2024-2025 cycle, this grant assisted the ROHA staff in making this oral history available to you for your use.