Aug. 2, 2004--Alvin O. Bellak, 76, psychologist, business executive and art collector who lived in Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, died July 23 at Thomas Jefferson Hospital.

A native of Wilmington, he received his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from UD in 1949 and 1950, respectively, and his doctorate in psychology from Pennsylvania State University in 1954.

In 1957, he joined Hay Associates, a management consulting firm in Philadelphia that evolved into the Hay Group, an international organization with offices in 30 countries. Dr. Bellak retired after 28 years as a senior partner of the firm.

An article, published in the Messenger in 2003, described his extensive collection of miniature paintings from India dating from the late 14th Century to the late 19th Century. In 2001, he turned the core of his collection over to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which mounted an exhibition, “Intimate Worlds: Masterpieces of Indian Painting from the Alvin O. Bellak Collection,”that drew lavish praise from critics.

In the Messenger article, Dr. Bellak said his first real exposure to art was an art appreciation class at UD. The focus was on classical European art, and the course revealed a new world to him. "It was an eye opener, and my goal was to visit Europe to see these works of art in person, which I did over the years," he said.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Benjamin Franklin Parkway and 26th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130.