Herb Kohl

Herbert H. Kohl (February 7, 1935 – December 27, 2023) was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist who served as a Democratic United States Senator from Wisconsin from 1989 to 2013. Born in Milwaukee to a family prominent in the grocery and retail sector, Kohl graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1956 and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1958 before briefly serving in the United States Army. He built his fortune through investments after departing the family business and self-funded his successful Senate campaigns, emphasizing fiscal restraint and constituent services during his tenure, including chairing subcommittees on aging, agriculture appropriations, and other key areas.

In 1985, Kohl acquired the Milwaukee Bucks NBA franchise for $18 million to avert its potential move out of the city, retaining ownership until selling it in 2014 for $550 million under the condition that the team stay in Milwaukee, while contributing $100 million toward a new arena. A committed philanthropist, he established the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation in 1990, which has distributed over $40 million in scholarships, fellowships, and awards to Wisconsin students, teachers, principals, and schools to promote educational excellence and access. Kohl's death at age 88 followed a brief illness, as announced by his philanthropic organization.

Herbert Kohl was born on February 7, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family of recent immigrants. His father, Maxwell Kohl, had immigrated from Poland, while his mother, Mary (née Hiken), came from Russia; both arrived in the United States in the early 20th century, reflecting the wave of Eastern European Jewish migration seeking economic opportunity amid pogroms and instability. This heritage instilled in the family a pragmatic drive rooted in survival and adaptation, as Maxwell initially labored in Milwaukee factories before channeling savings into entrepreneurship.