Eli Broad, billionaire philanthropist who shaped LA art scene, dies at 87

In recent years, Broad spent much of his time engaged in philanthropic work through his foundations, advocating for public education reform, promoting the rebirth of Los Angeles’ downtown as a commercial and residential center and other causes. Los Angeles: Eli Broad, the billionaire philanthropist, contemporary art collector and entrepreneur who co-founded homebuilding pioneer Kaufman and Broad Inc. and launched financial services giant SunAmerica Inc., died on 30 April in Los Angeles. “Eli Broad, simply put, was LA’s most influential private citizen of his generation,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Twitter. In the 1990s, Broad led the campaign to help raise money to build the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall and was a major underwriter of Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art, among other institutions. … I still see myself working close to 40 hours at SunAmerica/AIG and maybe 40 hours at other things.” In recent years, Broad spent much of his time engaged in philanthropic work through his foundations, advocating for public education reform, promoting the rebirth of Los Angeles’ downtown as a commercial and residential center and other causes.