David Koch

David Koch
David Koch
Born	3 May 1940 (age 86); Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Died	23 August 2019 (aged 79)
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, political advocate, philanthropist, chemical engineer
Known for	Co-owner of Koch Industries; 1980 Libertarian vice-presidential nominee

David Hamilton Koch ( ; May 3, 1940 – August 23, 2019) was a prominent American entrepreneur, political advocate, philanthropist, and chemical engineer. He became involved with the family enterprise, Koch Industries, in 1970, which is recognized as the second-largest privately owned company in the United States. In 1979, he assumed the role of president at Koch Engineering and, by 1983, became co-owner of Koch Industries alongside his brother Charles Koch. Koch held the position of executive vice president until he stepped down in 2018 due to health concerns.

A staunch supporter of libertarian principles, Koch was the vice-presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party during the 1980 election and personally funded that campaign. He established Citizens for a Sound Economy and contributed significantly to various political action committees and campaigns, primarily backing candidates from the Republican Party. After switching his allegiance to the Republican Party in 1984, he invested more than $100 million opposing President Barack Obama's re-election in 2012.

By 2012, Koch ranked as the fourth wealthiest individual in America and was considered New York City's richest resident in 2013. As of June 2019, he was tied with Charles as the world's 11th-richest person, possessing a fortune valued at $50.5 billion. His charitable efforts included substantial donations to institutions such as the Lincoln Center, Sloan Kettering, NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, and the Dinosaur Wing at the American Museum of Natural History. In recognition of his $100 million gift toward renovations, the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center was renamed the David H. Koch Theater in 2008.

Early life and education

Born in Wichita, Kansas, Koch was the son of Mary Clementine (née Robinson) and Fred Chase Koch, who was a chemical engineer by profession. His paternal grandfather, Harry Koch, emigrated from the Netherlands and founded the Quanah Tribune-Chief newspaper while also co-founding the Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway. David was the third among four brothers; his older siblings were Frederick and Charles, with his twin brother Bill arriving nineteen minutes after him. On his mother's side, his lineage included Episcopal bishop William Ingraham Kip and author Elizabeth Clementine Stedman.

Koch completed his secondary education at Deerfield Academy in 1959 before pursuing higher studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). There, he obtained both a bachelor's degree in 1962 and a master's degree in chemical engineering in 1963. While at MIT, he was affiliated with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and distinguished himself as a basketball player by averaging 21 points per game over three seasons. He also held MIT's single-game scoring record with 41 points from 1962 until it was surpassed in 2009.

Position at Koch Industries

In 1970, Koch began working at Koch Industries under the leadership of his brother Charles, taking on the role of technical-services manager. He was responsible for launching the company's New York City office and, by 1979, had advanced to become president of Koch Engineering, a division that was later renamed Chemical Technology Group. Following an extended legal dispute, Frederick and Bill divested their shares in June 1983 for $1.1 billion, which resulted in Charles and David becoming the principal owners.<ref>The legal conflicts among the brothers persisted for nearly twenty years, involving attempts by Frederick and Bill to gain control in partnership with J. Howard Marshall III. In 2001, Bill resolved a lawsuit concerning alleged improper oil extraction by the company with a $25 million settlement, concluding all related litigation.<ref>

By 2010, David held a 42 percent ownership stake in Koch Industries alongside Charles. He was credited with four U.S. patents and served as executive vice president until his retirement in 2018 due to health concerns.<ref>His retirement was publicly announced on June 5, 2018.<ref>

Electoral Campaigns

Koch ran as the Libertarian Party's vice-presidential nominee in the 1980 election, partnering with presidential candidate Ed Clark.<ref> The Clark–Koch platform advocated for the elimination of Social Security, the Federal Reserve Board, welfare programs, minimum wage legislation, corporate taxation, all agricultural and business subsidies and price supports, as well as numerous federal agencies including the SEC, EPA, ICC, FTC, OSHA, FBI, CIA, and DOE.<ref> Their agenda also proposed privatizing transportation infrastructure and inland waterways. The ticket garnered 921,128 votes nationwide (approximately 1%), marking the best Libertarian Party performance by percentage until 2016 and by raw vote count until 2012.<ref> Charles Koch recognized this as a pivotal achievement for the Libertarian movement.<ref>

After this campaign experience, Koch described politicians as "actors playing out a script," according to Brian Doherty's Radicals for Capitalism.<ref> He identified the 1976 presidential run of Roger MacBride as a key influence on his political views, applauding MacBride’s calls for reduced government intervention and repeal of laws against victimless crimes.<ref>

Following his nomination as vice-presidential candidate, Koch personally contributed $100,000 to support the campaign. He endorsed abolishing both the Federal Election Commission and restrictions on campaign expenditures. When discussing his candidacy, he emphasized his commitment to Libertarian ideals despite not requiring a political position.<ref>

By 1984, Koch had distanced himself from the Libertarian Party because he regarded its tax abolition platform as excessively radical and potentially destabilizing. Consequently, he redirected most of his political donations toward the Republican Party, while continuing to back certain Libertarian local initiatives.<ref> His contributions predominantly favored Republican candidates.<ref> During Wisconsin’s 2012 gubernatorial recall election, Koch publicly supported Governor Scott Walker through Americans for Prosperity, demonstrating substantial financial engagement in state-level politics.<ref>

In 2012 alone, Koch invested more than $100 million opposing President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign.<ref>

Perspectives

Koch advocated for policies favoring reduced government size and decreased taxation. He opposed both the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as well as the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Regarding climate change, Koch expressed skepticism about human-induced global warming, suggesting that a warmer climate might lengthen growing seasons and sustain a larger population. He was against the Iraq War, criticizing its financial burden and loss of life, while also questioning its legitimacy. In 2011, he called on the Republican-controlled Congress to reduce expenditures, achieve a balanced budget, ease regulatory constraints, and promote business interests.

Identifying himself as a social liberal, Koch supported women's reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights including same-sex marriage, and stem-cell research. He was also opposed to the war on drugs.

Koch was an outspoken critic of President Barack Obama’s administration, labeling Obama as "the most radical president we've ever had," accusing him of damaging free-market principles and long-term economic growth. He attributed Obama's "antibusiness and anti-free enterprise" views to his Kenyan father's socialist background and described Obama as a "hardcore socialist" adept at concealment. In the 2012 election cycle, Koch’s financial contributions predominantly favored Republican candidates.

Advocacy Efforts

Koch financed multiple advocacy organizations and established Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) in 1984, acting as chairman and principal benefactor. Richard H. Fink served as CSE’s inaugural president. Additionally, he was chairman and early funder of both the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and Americans for Prosperity, initially donating $850,000 as their leading supporter. Although sympathetic to the Tea Party movement, Koch denied any direct involvement with tea party activities.

He held board positions at libertarian institutions such as the Cato Institute and Reason Foundation, providing financial support to both. Since 1991, the Koch brothers have actively resisted climate change regulations, beginning with the Cato Institute’s event titled "Global Environmental Crisis: Science or Politics?" From 1997 through 2018, they invested more than $145 million in think tanks and advocacy groups denying climate change science.

In August 2010, Jane Mayer identified the Kochs as key financiers behind stringent libertarian political initiatives in the United States. Critics have pointed out that their free-market philanthropy contrasts with profits derived from corporate welfare. Charles and David Koch were named in Time magazine’s Time 100 list in 2011, 2014, and 2015 due to their political influence and connections with the Tea Party movement.

Criminal Justice Reform

In July 2015, President Obama along with activist Anthony Van Jones acknowledged David and Charles Koch for their bipartisan contributions toward reforming the U.S. prison system. Over nearly ten years, they championed initiatives aimed at lowering recidivism rates, removing employment obstacles for those rehabilitated, and safeguarding private property from government asset forfeiture. Collaborating with groups such as the ACLU, Center for American Progress, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Coalition for Public Safety, and MacArthur Foundation, they highlighted how incarceration disproportionately impacts low-income and minority populations while imposing financial strain on public resources.

Nonetheless, their reform efforts have attracted criticism. Commentators writing for The Nation and The Guardian argue that the Kochs’ initiatives align with interests promoting further privatization of criminal justice. In 2015, The Intercept reported their philanthropy exists alongside funding for "tough-on-crime" political candidates and committees advocating stricter sentencing laws. Furthermore, Political Research Associates observed that the Kochs’ support for reforms like changes to mens rea ("criminal intent") laws corresponds with a broader agenda favoring deregulation and corporate relief rather than prioritizing individual civil liberties.

Philanthropy

David H. Koch founded the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, through which he donated in excess of $1.3 billion to various philanthropic endeavors. Beginning in 2006, he was regularly recognized among the top 50 philanthropists worldwide. He was a member of the Board of Trustees at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital from 1988 until his passing in 2019.

Arts

Inspired by his mother, Koch nurtured a lifelong dedication to the arts, resulting in substantial cultural contributions. In 2008, he committed $100 million over a decade to refurbish the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, the home venue of the New York City Ballet; this venue was subsequently renamed the David H. Koch Theater. He also provided $10 million toward restoring fountains at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and joined its Board of Trustees that same year.

As the longest-tenured trustee of the American Ballet Theatre, Koch donated over $6 million during a span of 25 years. Furthermore, he held a position on the Board of Trustees for WGBH-TV, supporting public broadcasting efforts.

Education

Between 1982 and 2013, Koch gave $18.6 million to the WGBH Educational Foundation, including a $10 million contribution to the PBS program Nova. His generosity extended to the Smithsonian Institution, with a $20 million donation to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) for establishing the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing, as well as $15 million to the National Museum of Natural History for creating the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins, which opened in 2010. Koch participated on advisory councils for both the Smithsonian and AMNH, and served on the executive board of the Institute of Human Origins. In 2012, he made a $35 million gift to fund a new dinosaur exhibition hall at the National Museum of Natural History.

He was also a notable supporter of his alma mater, Deerfield Academy, where several facilities—including the natatorium, science center, and field house—bear his name. The academy honored him as its inaugural Lifetime Trustee.

Medical research

Koch’s primary philanthropic commitment was directed toward an ambitious "moon shot" initiative aimed at curing cancer. From 1998 through 2012, he invested at least $395 million in medical research projects. Serving on NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital’s Board of Trustees since 1987, he donated $15 million in 2007 and later contributed $100 million in 2013—the largest single donation in that hospital’s history—initiating a $2 billion campaign focused on constructing a new ambulatory care center and upgrading facilities across five locations.

He also held a board position with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, where he contributed $41 million, including $5 million earmarked for nanotechnology research. The David H. Koch Chair at this foundation is occupied by Dr. Jonathan Simons.

In 2006, Koch provided $20 million to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for cancer research, funding the David H. Koch Cancer Research Building. The following year, he gifted $100 million to MIT for establishing the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and has given MIT at least $185 million in total. That same year, he donated $30 million to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and $25 million to University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to found the David Koch Center for Applied Research in Genitourinary Cancers.

In 2011, Koch gave $5 million to support hearing restoration research at the House Ear Institute and contributed $25 million to New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery.

In 2015, he pledged $150 million toward building the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—a 23-story facility designed to combine cutting-edge treatment technologies with patient- and family-centered environments. Additionally, he donated $10 million to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for research in biomathematics.

Wealth

In 2012, Koch was recognized as the fourth wealthiest individual in the United States and held the distinction of being New York City's richest resident in 2013. By June 2019, he ranked as the 11th richest person worldwide, sharing this position with his brother Charles, with an estimated net worth of $50.5 billion.

Personal life

Koch survived a significant runway accident involving USAir Flight 1493 at Los Angeles International Airport in February 1991. He later credited this incident, in 2014, with prompting him to increase his philanthropic efforts.

Following the passing of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1994, Koch acquired her spacious 15-room apartment located at 1040 Fifth Avenue. He wed Julia Flesher in 1996. After their third child was born, the couple sold this apartment in 2006 to billionaire Glenn Dubin and relocated to 740 Park Avenue. They had three children together: David Jr., Mary Julia, and John. Mary Julia pursued a career in journalism, working as a staff reporter for The New York Sun and previously serving as editor-in-chief of The Harvard Independent.

Health and death

In 1992, Koch received a diagnosis of prostate cancer and underwent treatments including radiation, surgery, and hormone therapy; however, the illness returned on several occasions. He attributed his personal battle with cancer as a driving force behind his support for medical research funding.

Koch passed away at his residence in Southampton, New York, on August 23, 2019, at the age of 79. His widow, Julia Koch, along with their three children, inherited a 42% ownership stake in Koch Industries.