Alfred E. Mann
Alfred E. Mann | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1925 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | February 25, 2016 (aged 91) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Physicist, inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founding Spectrolab, Heliotek, Pacesetter Systems, MiniMed, Advanced Bionics; philanthropy in biomedical engineering |
Alfred E. Mann (1925 – February 25, 2016), also referred to as Al Mann, was an American physicist, inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
Early life and education
Born into a Jewish household in Portland, Oregon, Mann’s father was an immigrant from England who worked as a grocer, while his mother, originally from Poland, was a pianist and vocalist.
Business
In 1956, Mann launched his inaugural aerospace enterprise, Spectrolab. He also founded Heliotek, a semiconductor company that emerged as a leading provider of solar cells for space missions. His ventures powered upwards of 100 spacecraft and supported lunar scientific projects. After divesting both firms to Textron in 1960—Spectrolab now operating under Boeing Satellite Systems—Mann continued overseeing them until 1972. Subsequently, he created Pacesetter Systems, which specialized in cardiac pacemakers and was sold in 1985; it is currently part of St. Jude Medical. Mann went on to establish MiniMed, focused on insulin pumps and glucose monitoring devices (now owned by Medtronic), and Advanced Bionics, which develops neuroprosthetic technologies primarily for cochlear implants; this company is presently owned by Sonova, with other neural prosthetics held by Boston Scientific.
At the time of his passing, Mann held leadership roles as chairman in multiple companies:
- Second Sight Medical Products, known for the Argus retinal prosthesis;
- Bioness, which produces electrostimulation devices addressing neurological impairments such as paralysis;
- Quallion, LLC, a manufacturer of high-reliability batteries serving medical, military, and aerospace applications;
- Stellar Microelectronics, a supplier of electronic circuits catering to medical, military, and aerospace markets.
Additionally, Mann chaired the Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), an organization dedicated to fostering growth in biotechnology, medical technology, and digital health sectors across Greater Los Angeles.
In June 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for Afrezza, an inhalable insulin product developed by MannKind Corporation for diabetes management. MannKind entered into a licensing agreement with French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi valued at $925 million for Afrezza. Mann held the positions of chairman and CEO at MannKind Corporation until January 2015, briefly returning later that year as interim CEO.
Mann was also a significant investor and board member of Eclipse Aviation and played a pivotal role in financing the Mulholland Estates gated community project in Los Angeles.
Philanthropy
Mann founded the Alfred E. Mann Institutes for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC) with an endowment totaling $162 million, at Purdue University with $100 million, and at the Technion with $104 million. These institutes function as business incubators dedicated to advancing the development and commercialization of medical devices. By 2006, three additional universities were engaged in advanced negotiations to establish similar centers. The first institute was initiated in 1998 when Mann contributed an initial $100 million to USC, a prominent private research institution based in Los Angeles; since then, the total funding for AMI/USC has grown to $162 million.
The Alfred Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering is responsible for selecting sites, founding new institutes, and managing their operations. Mann also held the status of Life Trustee at USC.
Established in 1985, the Alfred Mann Foundation partners with researchers and scientific organizations to create bionic technologies aimed at treating severe medical disabilities.
As an alumnus of UCLA, Mann initially sought to endow a bioengineering institute at his former university but withdrew his support due to disputes over patent ownership and revenue sharing. Consequently, his $162 million donation was redirected to USC under terms he accepted.
On March 16, 2007, Purdue University received a landmark $100 million gift from the Mann Foundation—the largest research donation in its history—leading to the creation of the Alfred Mann Institute at Purdue. However, this institute ceased operations in early 2012, resulting in the revocation of unused funds from the endowment.
Personal life
Mann entered into matrimony four times and fathered seven children. His first marriage was to Beverly Mann, which ended in divorce in 1957. He then wed Linda Mann, with their marriage concluding in 1973. His third spouse was Susan Kendall, and their union dissolved in 1997. In 2004, he married Claude Mann, his fourth wife.
Mann passed away at the age of 90 on February 25, 2016, due to natural causes in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Recognition
- 2000, American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award
- 2003, Los Angeles Business Person of the Year by Business Journal
- 2011, Lifetime Achievement Award from MDEA