After returning from serving with the U.S. Army in the European theater during World War II, he and his wife, Marilyn Glick, began constructing housing in the Indianapolis area with other military veterans in mind.
Originally concentrating on building single-family homes and then shifting to apartment projects in the 1960s, the Glicks amassed a considerable fortune over their lifetimes, the bulk of which they used for extensive philanthropic endeavors.
[1] With more than $142 million in charitable donations to date, the Glicks' philanthropic impact on the state of Indiana is one of the largest of any family-based organization.
[2] Many significant cultural landmarks, civic endeavors and educational entities across the state bear the Glick name.
[5] After graduating from Indiana University in December 1942 with a bachelor's degree in business, Glick enlisted in the United States Army.[6][which?]
In his book Born to Build, Glick recounted that on November 11, 1944, he huddled under cover during an intense artillery barrage for hours, and promised himself that if he survived he would always look back on that day as a lesson to never lose hope.
While serving in the war, Glick received the European Theater medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star.
In 1982, they created the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Family Foundation and began to devote more of their time and wealth to charitable causes.
The business changed its focus from single-family houses to multifamily communities, with an emphasis on creating affordable homes for low-income families using federal Section 8 funding.
From the late 1960s to the 1980s, the company expanded from Indiana to Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Kentucky and Illinois.
[15] By the 2000s, Gene and Marilyn Glick became focused on their philanthropic endeavors, turning over more of the daily operations to their children and grandchildren.
[19] Glick's philanthropic efforts focused on education, health care, affordable housing for low-income families, community support services and the arts.
The Indiana Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, now known as the Association of Fundraising Professionals, gave him their Lifetime Achievement Award.