Charles Bronfman

Charles Rosner Bronfman, PC , CC , LL.D (born June 27, 1931 in Montreal) is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist.

He is the fifteenth richest person in Canada, with a net worth of US$2.2 billion (according to Forbes ). 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 1990. He is currently in talks to purchase the American soccer club, Chicago Fire S.C..

He is the son of Samuel and Saidye Bronfman; his siblings are Minda, architecture expert Phyllis, and Edgar. He is the uncle of Edgar Bronfman, Jr.. Charles Bronfman is the widower of his second wife, Andrea Bronfman.

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 the Zionist organization Birthright Israel, a program which provides a free, 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.

Bronfman was a founding co-chairman of Historica, producers of the Heritage Minutes series of television shorts.

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 Seagram Company Ltd.

Family

He is the widower of Andrea Morrison, who died on January 23, 2006 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 the 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