Harley Lippman, the CEO of Genesis10 and a man whose philanthropy stretches from New York to Cambodia, took a pause from business on August 27th to honor those who’ve carried the weight of history on their shoulders. Over a private lunch, Lippman hosted 11 Vietnam War veterans from the Vietnam Veterans of America Suffolk County – Chapter 11, creating a space not just for reflection, but for recognition.
The gathering wasn’t about ceremony or fanfare. It was about men who once returned home from Southeast Asia to a nation too divided to welcome them properly. Now in their later years, they sat with Lippman, sharing stories, talking about health and life as senior veterans, and hearing the news that will ensure their legacy isn’t forgotten: the creation of a Vietnam War memorial dedicated to them and their brothers-in-arms.
For Lippman, honoring service isn’t a side project—it’s a calling. His philanthropic work has spanned decades, from funding scholarships and financial aid for wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, to exploring overlooked corners of history. Since 2009, he has spearheaded efforts to locate unmarked mass graves from the Holocaust, building memorials so that those silenced by atrocity would not be erased. His documentary Safeguarding Memory, which aired on PBS, earned two awards and continues to educate new generations about the need for remembrance.
And while he keeps an eye firmly on preserving history, his heart has long been with the future. In Cambodia, near Phnom Penh, Lippman and his family built the Children First Center, which opened in 2018. There, children are supported through school and even college—the family has already paid tuition for 11 students. In Siem Reap, he funds an English-language center, paying teacher salaries and ensuring opportunity stretches further than geography or circumstance.
What ties all this together is Lippman’s belief in human dignity—whether for a child in Cambodia, a Holocaust victim buried without a marker, or an American veteran whose sacrifice deserves more than a fading memory. The Vietnam memorial he announced is more than stone and steel; it’s another promise that legacies matter, that service is honored, and that stories live on.
In a time when headlines move fast and history can get blurred, Harley Lippman made sure, at least for one afternoon, that 11 veterans knew their lives, their service, and their sacrifices will not only be remembered—they will be enshrined.