Fred Eychaner
Fred Eychaner | |
---|---|
Born | 1945 (age 78–79) |
Nationality | United States |
Occupation | businessman |
Known for | Chairman of Newsweb Corporation |
Parent(s) | Mildred and Howard Eychaner |
Relatives | Rich Eychaner (brother) |
Fred Eychaner (born c. 1945) is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist.[1][2]
Eychaner is the Chairman of Newsweb Corporation.[3][4] He was included in Chicago magazine's 2014 list of the 100 most powerful Chicagoans.[5] In 2005, the Chicago Tribune estimated his wealth at $500 million.[1] In 2015, he was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.[6]
Early life and education
Eychaner was born to a middle-class Methodist family in DeKalb, Illinois, the son of Mildred (Lovett) and Howard Franklin Eychaner.[1][7][8][9] His father owned a moving and storage business.[10] He has three siblings, including Iowa businessman Rich Eychaner.[1][11] He attended the Medill School of Journalism.[1]
Business interests
He founded Newsweb in 1971, which prints a wide variety of newspapers. A series of transactions led to his ownership of WPWR-TV Channel 50 in Chicago. In 2002, WPWR was sold to Fox Television for a reported $425 million. He launched the Chicago radio station WCPT (820 AM), branded as Chicago's Progressive Talk, in May 2005.[1]
Philanthropy
He is President of the charitable organization Alphawood Foundation which granted the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London £20m in 2013.[12] Eychaner has given the Clinton Foundation more than $25 million.[13] He is also credited with getting the long-delayed FDR Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island in New York finally constructed.[14]
In November 2013, Alphawood announced a $2 million matching grant to help jumpstart construction of the Bloomingdale Trail in Chicago.[15]
Political activities
He has been a top Democratic donor for several cycles and in the 2012 election cycle was the top donor to Democratic Super PACs, giving more than $14 million.[1][16]
Boards
He serves on the board of the Joffrey Ballet,[17] and of the Art Institute of Chicago.[18] He is also a trustee of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.[19]
In September 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Eychaner a General Trustee to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.[20]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g McCormick, John (June 7, 2005). "Fred Eychaner". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Armstrong, David (September 30, 2002). "A Long Strange Trip". Forbes. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Herrnson, Paul S; Deering, Christopher J; Wilcox, Clyde (2012-08-10). Interest Groups Unleashed. CQ Press. pp. 160–. ISBN 9781452203782. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ Gross, Theodore L. (2005-01-01). The Rise Of Roosevelt University: Presidential Reflections. SIU Press. pp. 143–. ISBN 9780809389711. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Fred Eychaner - Chicago magazine". Chicago magazine. March 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame".
- ^ Chicago Tribune: "Attention-shy Democratic donor Fred Eychaner opens up" by Melissa Harris May 01, 2014 |"Eychaner noted that he grew up in DeKalb, raised by teetotaling Methodists who ended up founding a PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chapter and marching in the annual gay pride parade."
- ^ "Passages: Howard Franklin Eychaner". Windy City Times. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ Chicago Tribune Obituary: "Eychaner, Mildred Lovett" May 18, 2005
- ^ National Journal: "Meet Fred Eychaner, the Most Mysterious Figure in Democratic Party Politics - Tracking down Fred Eychaner, one of the most reclusive—and powerful—donors in Democratic politics, was no easy task" by Daniel Libit May 8, 2014
- ^ Forman, Ross (February 24, 2010). "Baseball history includes gay owner of minor league Cubs franchise". Windy City Times. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "SOAS given £20m donation from Alphawood foundation". BBC News. November 2, 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "William J. Clinton Foundation releases donor list; Gates, Chicago's Fred Eychaner major givers". Chicago Sun-Times. January 1, 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "LEADERS Interview with Ambassador William J. vanden Heuvel, Chairman, Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park". LEADERS magazine. April 2, 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "Newsweb Corp.'s Fred Eychaner steps up for Bloomingdale Trail". Crain's Chicago Business. November 20, 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ Schouten, Fredreka (October 29, 2012). "Handful of megadonors dominate campaign money chase". USA Today. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ "The Joffrey Ballet Board of Directors". The Joffrey Ballet. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ "Art Institute of Chicago Board of Trustees". Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ "Asian Art Museum Board and Commission". Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ Sweet, Lynn. "Obama taps Penny Pritzker, Fred Eychaner as Kennedy Center trustees". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 6 June 2014.