Former Bank Executive Sets Out to Donate Fortune
October 21, 2011 | Read Time: 1 minute
Washington native and former Miami bank executive Adrienne Arsht has returned to her hometown and established herself as a full-time philanthropist, The Washington Post writes in a profile.
The politically and socially connected donor and businesswoman moved to Miami in 1996 to run TotalBank, which she owned with her late husband, Myer “Mike” Feldman. After Mr. Feldman’s death in 2007 she sold the company for $200-million and moved back to Washington with plans to give way her entire fortune.
Ms. Arsht—whose $30-million gift in 2008 saved what is now the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County from bankruptcy—has remained an arts patron, giving more than $5-million to the Kennedy Center and serving on its board.
She also supports preservation, education, and health causes and is known for hosting brunches with an eclectic guest list drawn from Washington business, political, and diplomatic circles, The Post says.
