Obituaries : Melvin Jacobs; Former Saks Fifth Avenue Chairman

Melvin Jacobs, 67, a former Saks Fifth Avenue chairman whose career began in the bargain basement at Bloomingdale’s. He joined Saks as chairman and chief executive in 1982 after serving as senior vice president and general merchandise manager at Bloomingdale’s and president of Burdine’s, a department store chain. When Saks was for sale in 1990, he led a management group in an unsuccessful attempt to buy the 50-store chain, which was purchased by the investment company Investcorp. He retired in July. In New York City on Oct. 6, apparently of a heart attack.