Herbert Irving (November 5, 1917 – October 3, 2016) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and art collector. He co-founded Sysco, the world's largest food distributor, and was known for his contributions to the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.[1]
Herbert Irving | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 5, 1917 |
| Died | October 3, 2016 (aged 98) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania (BA, MBA) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Co-founding Sysco Namesake of Columbia University Irving Medical Center |
Biography
editIrving was born on November 5, 1917, in Brooklyn. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He served with the United States Army in Europe during World War II and took part in the landing of Normandy.[1]
He started his career in the frozen foods business by co-founding Global Frozen Foods with a brother-in-law. He founded Sysco in 1969 with John F. Baugh and Harry Rosenthal and served as the company's vice chairman and chair of the finance committee.[2] He stepped down as vice chairman of Sysco's board in 1992 and remained a director until 1994.[1]
Philanthropy
editAfter being treated by Columbia's doctors, Irving became the single largest benefactors to the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), funding the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1995 and endowing the Irving Scholars to support those starting a career in medical research.[3] The contributions Irving made to the medical center totaled $300 million over thirty years, beginning in 1987, when he made the first donation of $8.5 million.[4] A dozen programs, facilities, and professorships at the CUMC are named after Irving.[5]
He and his wife were also known for their collection of Asian art.[6] The couple donated over 1,300 objects and made donations worth over $80 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to support the museum's acquisition, exhibition, and publication of Asian art.[7][8] They are the namesake of The Florence and Herbert Irving Asian Wing on the North side of the museum, which includes the galleries for Chinese art, the arts of Korea, and South and Southeast Asian art.[9]
In 2017, he and his wife made a posthumous $700 million gift to Columbia to advance research and clinical programs for the treatment of cancer.[10]
Personal life and family
editHe married Florence Rapoport in 1941.[1] He died on October 3, 2016, at age 98.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Goldstein, Matthew (2016-10-11). "Herbert Irving, Sysco Co-Founder and $300 Million Hospital Donor, Dies at 98". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ Cataldo, Adam (October 12, 2016). "Herbert Irving, Sysco co-founder and noted philanthropist, dies at 98". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
- ^ "Irving Scholars Program". Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "In Memoriam: Herbert Irving, Philanthropist". Columbia University Irving Medical Center. 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ cmm_admin (2016-12-14). "Herbert Irving: A Legacy of Support". Columbia Medicine Magazine. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Prized Asian art from the home of Florence and Herbert Irving | Christie's". www.christies.com. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "Met Museum Receives $80 Million Gift from the Irving Family". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. November 16, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
- ^ Dafoe, Taylor (2019-08-20). "To Diversify Its Asian Art Collection, the Met Will Sell 300 Chinese Artworks at Sotheby's for as Much as $4 Million". Artnet News. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
- ^ "METROPOLITAN TO DESIGNATE ASIAN ART GALLERIES THE FLORENCE AND HERBERT IRVING WING". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. November 9, 2004. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
- ^ "The Irving Family". Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) - New York. 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2022-04-09.