charles bronfman

The Honourable Charles Rosner Bronfman, P.C., O.C. (born June 27, 1931 in Montreal) is a Canadian business man and philanthropist. He is the fifth richest person in Canada, with a net worth of US$2.2 billion (according to Forbes http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2003&passListType=Person&uniqueId=P8Z1&datatype=Person). His fortune comes from 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 its sale in 1990. He is the son of Samuel and Saidye Bronfman; his siblings are Minda, architecture maven Phyllis, and Edgar. He is the uncle of Edgar Bronfman, Jr. Bronfman was educated at Selwyn House School in Montreal, Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario, and McGill University.

Philanthropy

He and Michael Steinhardt, co-founded Birthright Israel, a program which provides an educational travel experience to Israel for young Jewish adults aged 18 to 26. 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.

Chairman

Since November 1997 Bronfman has been 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 Seagram Company Ltd.

Family

He is married to Andrea Morrison, and between them, have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. In 2002 his children, Stephen and Ellen, launched the Charles Bronfman Prize, which awards money to those doing most to advance Jewish causes.

Honours

1981

Made an Officer of the Order of Canada

1990:

Doctorate of Philosophy, Honoris Causa from Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa from McGill University.

1992:

Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
Promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada
Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa from Brandeis University
Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa from Concordia University

1995:

Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa from the University of Waterloo

2000:

Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa from the University of Toronto

2002:

Bronfman, along with his wife, were awarded Honorary Citizenship of Jerusalem