Donald Leroy Bren was born on May 11,1932 and is an American billionaire businessman.
25 Facts About Donald Bren
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Donald Bren is the chairman and owner of the Irvine Company, a US real estate development corporation.
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Donald Bren's Jewish father Milton was a naval officer, talent agent, and movie producer.
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Donald Bren's mother Marion, who is of partial Irish descent, was a civic leader.
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Donald Bren was graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in business administration and economics.
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Donald Bren failed to qualify for the 1956 Olympic ski team following an injury.
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In 1958, Donald Bren began his business career by starting the Donald Bren Company to build homes.
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Donald Bren was President of MVC from 1963 to 1967.
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In 1977, Donald Bren joined a group of investors to purchase the 146-year-old Irvine Company.
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Donald Bren has donated over $200 million to support programs in K-12 public schools and higher education institutions in Southern California.
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Donald Bren's contributions have benefited the University of California, Irvine, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Chapman University.
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In 2003, Donald Bren donated $1 million to the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia.
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Donald Bren supported after-school services for K-12 students in Southern California through THINK Together.
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Donald Bren donated $25 million in 2000 and $20 million in 2006 to the Irvine Unified School District.
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In 30 years, Donald Bren donated 55,000 acres of land for parks, greenways, recreation and wilderness preserves.
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In June 2010, Donald Bren completed his pledge to set aside more than 50,000 acres of the original 93,000-acre ranch as open space by designating 20,000 acres to Orange County, California, as an open-space and parklands gift.
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In 2007, Donald Bren made a $2.5 million commitment to the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, California.
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In 2004 Donald Bren received the University of California Presidential Medal, the University's highest honor, because of his financial support throughout the years which at the time was more than $43 million.
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In 1998, Donald Bren received the Marine Corps University Foundation's Semper Fidelis Award, which recognises a distinguished American leader whose commitment to personal and professional excellence embodies those qualities of leadership and character uniquely associated with the United States Marine Corps.
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Donald Bren serves on the board of trustees at Caltech and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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Donald Bren's first son, Cary Bren, born 1959, served as president of Orange County home builder California Pacific Homes.
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Donald Bren's second son, Steve Bren, born 1960, was a former professional auto racing driver and real estate developer.
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In May 1998, Donald Bren, an Episcopalian, married Brigitte Muller, an entertainment lawyer born in La Jolla, California, in a church ceremony at the All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, California.
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Since the availability of FEC records in 1980, Donald Bren, has contributed tens of thousands of dollars each year to GOP causes.
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Donald Bren has donated at least $135,000 to the California Republican Party.