B. Gerald Cantor
B. Gerald Cantor | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 3, 1996 (aged 79) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, art collector, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder and chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald; art patron and collector |
Bernard Gerald Cantor (December 17, 1916 – July 3, 1996) was the founder and chairman of the securities firm Cantor Fitzgerald.
Career
Cantor was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants originating from Belarus. He completed his secondary education at DeWitt Clinton High School and pursued studies in law and finance at New York University between 1935 and 1937. Following his military service during World War II, he established B.G. Cantor and Company, which later developed into Cantor Fitzgerald L.P., a prominent institutional broker specializing in U.S. Government securities headquartered in New York City. Due to health concerns, he resigned from his leadership role in December 1995. Additionally, Cantor held a co-ownership stake in the Kansas City Kings of the National Basketball Association for a time.
He had one son, Jay, with his first wife, Leona (now deceased), who chose a career path outside the financial sector.
Art collection
After marrying Iris Bazel in 1977, the couple became influential patrons of fine arts in New York by creating the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation. Together, they curated the largest private assemblage of works by Auguste Rodin worldwide. From 1981 to 1984, a portion of this Rodin collection was exhibited in a private museum located next to Cantor’s offices on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center. Significant parts of their collection were donated to more than 70 institutions globally, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University. Between 1984 and 1987, they gifted 58 Rodin sculptures and financed their installation within the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Gallery at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The Cantors also supported galleries and exhibitions at renowned institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, contributing notably to the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, as well as establishing a sculpture garden and museum at Stanford University. Their foundation reports holding approximately 300 Rodin sculptures privately while having donated over 450 pieces over time.
The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation continues to underwrite exhibitions. In 1997, the Morris Museum presented "Focus on Rodin: Selections From the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collection." The following year featured "Rodin at Rockefeller Center," showcasing sculptures from their holdings. Subsequently, "Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession" toured internationally with stops at venues including Louisiana State University, Albany Institute of History & Art, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Cantor held a trustee position at the Metropolitan Museum from 1985 to 1990 before becoming an honorary trustee and serving on its European sculpture committee. He was also a life trustee and honorary trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art beginning in 1972.
Moreover, Cantor supported Surrealist artist Raymond A. Whyte, displaying five of Whyte’s artworks within the Cantor Fitzgerald offices during the time of the September 11 attacks.
Philanthropy
Cantor made philanthropic contributions to institutions such as the College of the Holy Cross, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and Cornell University.
In 1993, a bronze cast of Rodin's "Thinker" from the Cantor collection was installed in the redecorated Oval Office by President Clinton. The Cantors also sponsored a sculpture garden at the White House in 1994. Their generosity was recognized with the award of the National Medal of Arts in 1995.
External links
- Biography of B. Gerald Cantor provided by The Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Foundation
- History of B. Gerald Cantor Partners on BGCpartners.com
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art: "Rodin: The B. Gerald Cantor Collection" — complete exhibition catalog
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- Founders of American financial firms
- American investment banking professionals
- Collectors of American art
- New York State philanthropists
- Born in 1916
- Deceased in 1996
- Recipients of the United States National Medal of Arts
- Los Angeles business figures
- California philanthropists
- Alumni of DeWitt Clinton High School
- Graduates of New York University School of Law
- Alumni of New York University Stern School of Business
- American individuals of Belarusian-Jewish heritage
- Residents of Bel Air, Los Angeles
- Business leaders from the Bronx
- United States Army veterans of World War II
- 20th-century American entrepreneurs
- Military personnel originating from New York City
- Cantor Fitzgerald affiliates
- Owners of the Kansas City Kings
- Cantor Fitzgerald people