Charles Bronfman
Encyclopedia
Charles Rosner Bronfman, (born June 27, 1931 in Montreal
) is a Canadian
businessman and philanthropist
. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.0 billion (as of March 2011), Bronfman was ranked by Forbes
as the 15th wealthiest Canadian and 595th in the world.
His fortune comes from, Seagram Company Ltd. the family liquor business. He was the majority owner of the Montreal Expos
franchise in Major League Baseball
from the team's formation in 1968 until 1990. He is in talks to purchase the American soccer club Chicago Fire S.C..
Bronfman was educated at Selwyn House School
in Montreal, Trinity College School
in Port Hope, Ontario
, and McGill University
.
co-founded the Zionist charity Taglit Birthright
, a program which provides a free, educational travel experience to Israel
for young Jewish adults. Bronfman is one of its principal donors. Bronfman is Chairman of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies Inc., a family of charitable foundations operating in Israel, the U.S.A., and Canada. Bronfman is also responsible for the Charles Bronfman Prize, honoring individuals for their humanitarian contributions. The first winner was Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation
founder Jay Feinberg
.
Bronfman was a founding co-chairman of Historica, producers of the Heritage Minutes series of television shorts. It was at an early meeting of this foundation (originally the CAB Foundation) that he asked the members, "If television can use 30 seconds or 60 seconds to persuade people that Cadillacs or cornflakes are interesting, couldn't we also use that short piece of time to persuade Canadians that their history is interesting? You tell me how to do it, and I'll fund it." It was out of that discussion that the Heritage Minutes were conceived, piloted, distributed through cinemas and broadcasters across the country, and then confirmed as a major contribution of the Foundation—which a few years later became Historica, recently merged with the Dominion Institute.
Company Ltd.
and Saidye Bronfman; his siblings are Minda, architecture expert Phyllis
, and Edgar
. He is the uncle of Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
.
He is the widower of Andrea Morrison
, who died on January 23, 2006, and between them, they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.
In 2008 Bronfman married for the third time to Bonita Roche in New York City
. He owns a penthouse apartment in 1999 at 838 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan
which had been converted from office space to a luxury condominium by Louis Dubin
of Athena.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.0 billion (as of March 2011), Bronfman was ranked by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
as the 15th wealthiest Canadian and 595th in the world.
His fortune comes from, Seagram Company Ltd. the family liquor business. He was the majority owner of the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
franchise in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from the team's formation in 1968 until 1990. He is in talks to purchase the American soccer club Chicago Fire S.C..
Bronfman was educated at Selwyn House School
Selwyn House School
Selwyn House School is a private independent boys' school located in Westmount, Quebec. Boys can attend from Kindergarten through to Grade 11. The school was founded in 1908 by Englishman Captain Algernon Lucas...
in Montreal, Trinity College School
Trinity College School
Trinity College School is a coeducational, independent boarding/day school located in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. TCS was founded on May 1, 1865, more than 2 years prior to Canadian Confederation. It includes a Senior School for grades 9 to 12 and a Junior School for grades 5 to 8.Among its...
in Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, about east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County...
, and McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
.
Philanthropy
He and Michael SteinhardtMichael Steinhardt
Michael H. Steinhardt is an American investor and philanthropist active in Jewish causes. He was one of the first prominent hedge fund managers, and is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He founded Steinhardt, Fine, Berkowitz & Co., a hedge fund, in 1967...
co-founded the Zionist charity Taglit Birthright
Birthright Israel
Taglit-Birthright Israel is a Jewish Israeli registered charity that sponsors free 10-day heritage trips to Israel. Birthright Israel's goals are to diminish the division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world and to strengthen participants' personal Jewish identity and...
, a program which provides a free, educational travel experience to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
for young Jewish adults. Bronfman is one of its principal donors. Bronfman is Chairman of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies Inc., a family of charitable foundations operating in Israel, the U.S.A., and Canada. Bronfman is also responsible for the Charles Bronfman Prize, honoring individuals for their humanitarian contributions. The first winner was Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation
Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation
The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation is one of the public bone marrow, blood stem cell and umbilical cord blood registries in the United States...
founder Jay Feinberg
Jay Feinberg
Jay Feinberg is a leukemia survivor and is the founder and current director of the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation....
.
Bronfman was a founding co-chairman of Historica, producers of the Heritage Minutes series of television shorts. It was at an early meeting of this foundation (originally the CAB Foundation) that he asked the members, "If television can use 30 seconds or 60 seconds to persuade people that Cadillacs or cornflakes are interesting, couldn't we also use that short piece of time to persuade Canadians that their history is interesting? You tell me how to do it, and I'll fund it." It was out of that discussion that the Heritage Minutes were conceived, piloted, distributed through cinemas and broadcasters across the country, and then confirmed as a major contribution of the Foundation—which a few years later became Historica, recently merged with the Dominion Institute.
Chairman
From November 1997 until July 2002, Bronfman was the Chairman of the Board of Koor Industries Ltd., one of Israel's largest investment holding companies. He is the co-chairman of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. From 1999 to 2001, Bronfman was the first Chairman of the United Jewish Communities, the merged North American organization comprising United Jewish Appeal, the Council of Jewish Federations and United Israel Appeal. He is a former Co-Chairman of the SeagramSeagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
Company Ltd.
Family
He is the son of SamuelSamuel Bronfman
Samuel Bronfman, was a Canadian business magnate and philanthropist. He founded Distillers Corporation Limited, and is a member of the Canadian Jewish family dynasty, the Bronfman family.-Early life:...
and Saidye Bronfman; his siblings are Minda, architecture expert Phyllis
Phyllis Lambert
Phyllis Barbara Lambert CC, GOQ, OAL, FRAIC, FRSC, RCA is a Canadian philanthropist and member of the Bronfman family....
, and Edgar
Edgar Bronfman, Sr.
Edgar Miles Bronfman is a Canadian businessman. He is a member of the Bronfman family.-Biography:Bronfman is the son of Samuel Bronfman, the founder of Distillers Corporation Limited, who purchased Seagram's in 1928...
. He is the uncle of Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
Edgar Miles Bronfman, Jr. , is the Chairman of Warner Music Group. He previously served as CEO of the company from 2004 to 2011. In May, 2011, the sale of WMG was announced; Bronfman would continued as CEO in the transaction. In August 2011, he became Chairman of the company as Stephen Cooper...
.
He is the widower of Andrea Morrison
Andrea Bronfman
Andrea Brett Morrison Bronfman was a philanthropist and wife of billionaire Charles Bronfman, who was once co-chairman of Seagram's Co. She died from being struck by a car in New York City, where she was a key figure in the Jewish community...
, who died on January 23, 2006, and between them, they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.
In 2008 Bronfman married for the third time to Bonita Roche in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He owns a penthouse apartment in 1999 at 838 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
which had been converted from office space to a luxury condominium by Louis Dubin
Louis Dubin
Louis Myerberg Dubin is a prominent fourth-generation New York City real estate developer notable for developing upscale condominiums, typically in large east-coast United States cities. His firm Athena often sold condominiums to middle and upper-middle class buyers by touting affordability and...
of Athena.
1990
- Doctorate of Philosophy, Honoris Causa from Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
- Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa from McGill University.
1992
- Member of the Queen's Privy Council for CanadaQueen's Privy Council for CanadaThe Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
. - Promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada
- Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa from Brandeis UniversityBrandeis UniversityBrandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
- Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa from Concordia University