Saratoga Springs, NY - Public relations industry leader Ed Lewi, founder of the eponymous Capital Region public relations agency that managed media relations for the XIII Olympic Winter Games and has assisted in media relations and marketing efforts for The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) since the late 1970s, passed on Saturday, August 29, 2015. Over a communications career that spanned more than six decades, Lewi and his agency helped contribute to today's success and popularity of such major local, regional and national attractions as the Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom and played a significant role in the growth of the United States Figure Skating Association. Lewi also inaugurated the three track-related festivals in Saratoga and the Belmont Festival in Garden City, NY, which continue to be widely popular events. "He helped put Saratoga on the map," said celebrated philanthropist, thoroughbred owner and breeder Marylou Whitney. "Saratoga is the place it is today because of Ed Lewi." "Ed led a wonderful life, the type of life that people should aspire to lead. He was a true gentleman and philanthropist and Marylou and I were honored to call him our best friend, along with his beloved wife, Maureen," said John Hendrickson. "He gave millions of people joy and fun and we are forever grateful for his joyful spirit, youthful enthusiasm and boundless energy." Ed Lewi became known as the man who changed Saratoga Race Course from a racing venue to a renowned and unique happening', who moved ballet audiences at SPAC from a few hundred to full houses, and who took the United States Figure Skating Association from one sponsor and low TV ratings to 25 sponsors and unprecedented TV ratings. Ed Lewi Associates became known for Ed's unusual public relations maneuvers and razzle-dazzle creativity. The company spent 30 years assisting Price Chopper in developing its community involvement branding, orchestrating promotions ranging from a hot air balloon race across the supermarket's market area to developing and producing the annual Price Chopper July 4th celebration and fireworks at Albany's Empire State Plaza. For more than 40 years, Ed Lewi (and later Ed Lewi Associates) worked with amusement tycoon Charley Wood in marketing Storytown USA (later re-named The Great Escape), Gaslight Village and Fantasy Island with outrageous promotions befitting an amusement empire. From a wedding of Lilliputians in a miniature church by a six foot priest to a black-tie gala to open the Raging River at the new waterpark, Wood's parks were known throughout the national amusement industry for the Lewi-style promotions that produced thousands of national news clips and garnered coverage in hundreds of national magazines. When Ed Lewi Associates took over the marketing, promotion and media relations for Saratoga Race Course in the late 1970s, track goers experienced everything from philanthropist and horse owner/breeder Marylou Whitney and jockey Angel Cordero riding an elephant and camel, to media coming out of the starting gates on camp horses for the annual media race. National magazines, newspapers and television shows came to the track regularly to be toured around in Greta Garbo's Duisenberg (or other unique Charley Wood vehicles) by Saratoga's world-famous "Marylou" or to witness Saratoga's world-renowned philanthropist, and other famous track regulars, celebrating the racing season at one of Saratoga's unusual fund raising events. National media photographed "Marylou" and other famous track regulars playing games like Whack-A-Mole or hosting celebrities like Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Donald Trump, Merv Griffin, Ava Gabor, Walter Cronkite and others. "Without Marylou and her donation of time and talent, as well as her personal invitations to celebrity visitors, we could never have made Saratoga as famous as it has become. She was the publicity key that drew national media," Ed said. In addition to the best Thoroughbred racing in the world, visitors to Saratoga Race Course experienced festivals, outlandish hat contests, mini (beer) brew events, ice cream eating contests, Cordero "King of Saratoga crownings", edible gifts to horses - like a key to the city for Cigar - and a myriad of other unusual promotional events, that were developed and produced by Ed Lewi Associates to brand Saratoga as the "Summer Place to Be". Since Ed Lewi Associates represented both SPAC and the track, cross-over promotions and celebrity visits to the track abounded. Performing artists like Peter Martins, Nureyev, Itzhak Perlman, Toby Keith and dozens of rock and roll celebrities visited the race course regularly. During the same time period when Lewi-style SPAC and the track promotions proliferated, SPAC artists participated in events ranging from a performance of Slaughter on Tenth Avenue by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra at Dannemora Prison, to ballerinas driving harness track sulkies, followed by parades honoring choreographers and New York City Ballet Masters in Chief George Balanchine and Peter Martins. Lewi began his communications career as a sports writer for The Daily Gazette and worked for the Associated Press and United Press International, as well as doing television and radio broadcasting. During his 18-year tenure with the Times Union, he served in several marketing and advertising capacities. Founded in the 1960s as a part-time venture while Lewi was employed as promotions director of the Times Union, Ed Lewi Associates incorporated in 1975 and opened as a full service agency with three major clients - the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the Charles R. Wood Enterprises (operator of The Great Escape and other amusement parks) and Price Chopper Supermarkets. He sold the company in 2010. The company soon after secured the public relations contract for the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, and later consulted on Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo and Calgary. For the Olympic Games in Lake Placid, the corporation was the public relations agency of record, while Lewi served as the press director of the Games and his longtime wife and business partner, Maureen Lewi, served as director of the Main Press Center. Upon becoming the public relations agency for NYRA in the late 1970s, Lewi and his agency secured national and international media coverage for Saratoga Race Course through his longtime friendship and association with Marylou Whitney, who together helped brand Saratoga as "the summer place to be." Lewi conceptualized a number of innovative promotions for the historic sporting venue which continue today, including the annual hat contest, ice cream eating contest and a myriad of festivals and other events and activities that shined a spotlight on the Spa. Under the direction of Ed Lewi, the agency also secured the marketing and public relations contract for the United States Figure Skating Association, as well as media relations and fan events for several international cycling championships and NCAA events. Lewi maintained a long history of philanthropy, volunteerism and community involvement to numerous charitable causes, including the Double H Ranch, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Camp Chingachgook and the Capital District YMCA, where he served on each of their board of directors. He served as Media Relations and Marketing Chair of Saratoga 150. Lewi was the recipient of the Silver Medal Person of the Year Award of the Ad Club Association of Professional Communicators and received numerous international, national and local awards for promotional and public relations concepts from such organizations as the International Newspaper Promotion Association, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the Northeast Society of Professional Communicators, and Editor and Publisher magazine. He is also the recipient of the Freedom Foundation Award. Lewi also served as honorary lifetime founding vice-chairman of the Double H Ranch, a founding member of the Concerned Citizens for Saratoga Racing, a trustee of the Capital District YMCA, and a member of the Saratoga Automobile Museum Board of Directors. He was honored by the Saratoga Rotary Foundation for his volunteerism and received the President's Award, and was the first-ever recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Capital District YMCA. He was past president of the International Newspaper Promotion Association, the Ad Club Association of Professional Communicators, founding director of the Albany Sports Foundation, past President of the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club, past chairman of the Board of Managers of Camp Chingachgook, and has chaired Capital Fund Campaigns for Camp Chingachgook and the Schenectady YMCA. Camp Chingachgook named the building housing the dining hall, administrative offices and camp store "Lewi Lodge" in recognition of his longtime dedication to the Lake George summer camp for youths. Lewi also served as past officer and board member of many other business, civic and non-profit organizations. In 2014, Ed wrote a book of fun stories about his promotional activities. It is entitled "A Wild Ride". Ed is survived by his wife, Maureen, his two sons Jim Lewi and Joe Lewi, daughters-in-law Lori and Melissa and his four grandchildren: Gwen, Melanie, Emma and Jake. Friends are invited to a Celebration of Life at Saratoga Race Course, "At the Rail Pavilion" at 12:00 pm on Tuesday, September 1, 2015. Guests will enter at the main vehicular gate, across from the corner of Union and East Avenues. Flower arrangements should be delivered to the "At the Rail Pavilion" on Tuesday morning, prior to 11am. Those wishing to make a charitable contribution are encouraged to choose one of the following: The Double H Ranch, 97 Hidden Valley Rd.,Lake Luzerne, NY 12846 ,The Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 108 Ave. of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 or The YMCA Camp Chingachgook, 1879 Pilot Knob Road, Kattskill Bay, NY 12844. Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes of 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs (584-5373). Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.