Finfer Volunteers at Hartsfield for the USO
Meet the “Welcoming Military Mensch.”
Al Finfer was born in Brooklyn, grew up in The Bronx and graduated from NYU with a degree in economics. There was no such thing as a computer when he went to college and yet, he became a pioneer in computer programming.
He worked for the first ever computer software company specializing in military command and control systems called System Development Corporation in 1962. Finfer had a true appreciation for those dedicated to serving our country as also had joined the reserves and served in the Army after Korea and before Vietnam.
In 1996, Finfer was transferred to Atlanta from Southern California where he lived for 31 years. Since retirement in 1999, as an avid volunteer, he was a board member at Temple Emanu-El and co-chair of the 2013 Book Festival of the MJCCA.
Finfer’s involvement with the USO came about through the North Atlanta Men’s Club which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year. The club was founded by the late Bernie Kranz in 2007 as a vehicle for retired men to keep busy and involved in community service, including organization such as Atlanta Community Food Bank, Community Assistance Center, Backpack Buddies, Lekotek, the USO and several others. Coordinated by Bruce Abraham, the current club president is Bob Antin.
Early in the club’s existence, Dick Fenster developed a contact with the USO. He offered the club support. Finfer shared, “I joined with Dick as part of the first contingent of club volunteers at the USO and the club’s current USO coordinators are Bill Schwartz and Marv Mazer. At first, I wasn’t sure exactly what I would do there. My passion was cooking and I created and led the club’s Food and Cooking Group. At 88, since I love to still cook, I wanted to put my skills to good use.”
He added, “The USO lounge is on the second floor of the atrium in Hartsfield Airport in the center between the north and south terminals. Military families, those retired and active members on duty are greeted. Since it’s the early shift and breakfast, we cook omelets or pancakes. The lounge is comfortable for them between flights and often they’ve come from another city and have a layover. We are a welcoming force and don’t discuss the military. I love going there and look forward to it throughout the year plus New Year’s Eve Day. I’m not a youngster anymore so it’s not that easy as I’m on my feet for three hours.”
He shared, “There is a kitchen at the USO, but there is no stove, just a roller for cooking hot dogs. I thought about it for a while and realized I had two 40-year-old electric omelet pans in my garage I could use. That’s when I began my almost 20 years of cooking omelets at the USO. During that time, I have easily made over 1,000 omelets. Cooking at the USO is like camping out. You must bring everything that you need. Each time I go, I bring two cartons, one with all the ingredients I need and one with all the utensils to prepare them.”
“My wife, Penny, recently passed. She was beloved by so many people, and we are planning a memorial to her at the MJCCA. It will be a lounge when you go up to the gym on the second floor and the seating area will be dedicated to Penny. Penny always inspired people to exercise as a former PE teacher and that was important to her. She had a big impact on me to exercise and got me to do more. This lounge is appropriate to honor her for having a place to pause.”
Still an avid exerciser, Al is in a hiking group and exercises four days a week at the MJCCA’s gym and hikes on the fifth day.
As for Finfer’s omelet cooking tips, he recommends coating the pan with oil, cure it and he uses butter when it cooks. He adds a “little dab” of half & half or a whipping cream and a pinch of salt and pepper with three eggs, beating them with a whisk in his mixing bowl to make them nice, airy and foamy.
Many people tell Finfer his omelets are the best omelets they’ve ever had. He fondly recalled a colonel who came into the lounge and observed Al. He told Finfer he had been in almost every USO facility in the world and had never seen anyone do what he did.
Finfer is clearly a generous man, a good egg, and by all ranks, makes us proud.