William H. Ahmanson (October 12, 1925 – October 14, 2008)[1] was an American chief executive, philatelist and philanthropist from Los Angeles, California. He served as the chairman and chief executive officer of H. F. Ahmanson & Co. from 1969 to 1984. He also served as vice chairman of The Ahmanson Foundation.[2]
William H. Ahmanson | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 12, 1925 Omaha, Nebraska, US |
| Died | October 14, 2008 (aged 83) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philatelist, philanthropist |
| Spouse | Carol Ahmanson |
| Children | 8 |
| Relatives | Robert H. Ahmanson (brother) Howard F. Ahmanson Sr. (uncle) Howard Ahmanson Jr. (cousin) |
Early life and education edit
William Hayden. Ahmanson was born on October 12, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska.[3][4] He had a brother, Robert H. Ahmanson.[5] His father served as president of the National American Insurance Co. of Omaha.[4] His uncle, Howard F. Ahmanson Sr., was the founder of H. F. Ahmanson & Co., an insurance and savings and loans corporation based in Los Angeles.[5] He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a bachelor's degree in business and finance in 1949.[6]
Career edit
He served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of H. F. Ahmanson & Co. from 1969 to 1984.[3][4] He served on the board of trustees of The Ahmanson Foundation from 1952 to 2008.[7] Over the course of his career, he supported many venues related to the arts and sciences,[8] including the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, the California Institute of the Arts, and the Doheny Eye Institute.[3][9]
As a philatelist, he donated his extensive collection of Canadian stamps from British Columbia, Vancouver Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland to the National Postal Museum.[3] It is known as the "Ahmanson Collection."[10]
Personal life edit
He was married to Carol Ahmanson.[4] They had eight children and twelve grandchildren.[4] He died of emphysema on October 14, 2008, in Malibu, California.[4][3]
References edit
- ^ https://www.fold3.com/record/92150951/william-hayden-ahmanson-social-security-death-index
- ^ "Trustees". The Ahmanson Foundation. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "William H. Ahmanson | National Postal Museum". postalmuseum.si.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
- ^ a b c d e f Longtime trustee of foundation, The Los Angeles Times, October 17, 2008
- ^ a b Jules Stein Eye Institute: Robert H. Ahmanson
- ^ "Robert H. Ahmanson, 80; president of foundation for arts, humanities". Los Angeles Times. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
- ^ The Ahmanson Foundation: Trustees
- ^ de Louraille, Claire (2014-12-01). "Origin Stories: A Cheat Sheet For Six of L.A.'s Biggest Benefactors Los Angeles Magazine". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
- ^ Finkel, Jori (2020-02-26). "Major LACMA Donor Suspends Longtime Acquisition Program". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ National Postal Museum: The Ahmanson Collection