Staff Reports
Maxin “Max” Lyn Reiss, Ph.D., of Tallahassee and Seagrove, Florida, passed away peacefully July 25, 2018, from uterine cancer, having beaten breast cancer in 2014.
Her lengthy, courageous battle reflected the limitless zeal for life that typified her spirit. Max boasted that her claim to fame was her birth on leap day in Florida Feb. 29, 1948 — but those who knew her best knew otherwise. She was a uniquely loyal, thoughtful, purposeful and attentive professional; a loving mother, wife, friend and mentor.
Maxin built her career, raised her family and nurtured her friendships with focused intention toward creating fuller, healthier and meaningful lives.
As teenagers, Maxin Munchick and Andrew Reiss, Tallahassee’s veteran restaurateur, met at summer camp in North Carolina in 1965; many adventures ensued in their love story, including a hitchhike to Woodstock. (Yes — they actually attended the historic concert.)
They married in Miami Beach in 1970, and spent time in Europe and Aspen, Colorado, before settling in Tallahassee. Their 48-year marriage was a model of partnership and commitment, inspiring many others for its strength and stability.
At Andrew’s Tallahassee restaurants, Max was the rather-not-seen but dynamic force behind their design, high standards of food and service quality, and culture of community. She is remembered by hundreds of Andrew’s employees who grew as individuals because of her active interest and investment in their lives.
She was Andy’s best friend, partner, soulmate, love of his life.
Max was the nucleus of her entire family, including her siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews, and the many lifelong friends that she and Andy accrued. She spoke of her daughters, Alyson and Dana, as her pride and joy — her life’s most important work.
Dr. Alyson Goodman, M.D., MPH, is a pediatrician and epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
Dana Reiss Richmond is a Director of Global Accounts for Hyatt Hotels; she lives in Orlando.
Both Aly and Dana adored their mother, emulated her independence, and committed themselves to their own hard work and solid values that she embodied.
As grandmother of Jonah (6) and Sydney (3), she doted upon them as any loving grandmother, but with the keen ability of a brilliant psychologist to engage and understand their emerging characters.
Dr. Maxin Reiss’s professional life was purely dedicated to helping individuals with special needs to live more independent and fulfilling lives through the science of behavior analysis.
After receiving her Ph.D. from Florida State University, she co-founded Behavior Management Consultants (BMC) in Tallahassee in 1980 and later became its president and chief executive officer.
Over the course of her 40-year career, she led the consultants of BMC in helping others to live better and happier lives. Her leadership included the mentorship and guidance of young behavior analysts and students, who now perform their work based on the highest ethical and professional standards that Dr. Reiss taught and modeled.
Max did not waver in her drive to “do what is right” to preserve the dignity of every individual whose life she touched.
Max’s colleagues always admired her loyalty, strength, and commitment to the science of behavior analysis, combined with the art of building relationships and professionalism.
As demonstrated by her election as the president of the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis, a charter certificant of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board, a member of the Practice Board for the Association for Applied Behavior Analysis, and an editor of several peer-reviewed publications, she had a state and national reputation of excellence.
Further, she was awarded the Public Service Award for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis in the Community for her contributions in the field, and also to those she served.
Max’s professional legacy is her team at BMC, those she mentored across the country and the world, and the incalculable number of families who credit her work and leadership for the improved lives of their children, siblings and parents.
Because Max consistently embodied the values that she espoused, she developed a cult-like following of dedicated people who will mourn her deeply. She was the virtual glue that held together the many individuals and networks of people that she touched.
Her lasting legacy will be the bonds that remain and replicate far beyond those that she served and loved.
In her honor and memory, the family has established the “Maxin L. Reiss Memorial Fund for Improving Lives Through Behavior Change.” All proceeds will directly benefit individuals with developmental, behavioral or mental health needs, who otherwise could not access the skills of professional behavior analysts.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to “Maxin L. Reiss Memorial” through this link: www.maxinlreissfund.org/ or can be sent by check to Alyson Goodman (for Maxin L Reiss Memorial Fund), ℅ Behavior Management Consultants, 1339 East Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32308.
