Elaine Wynn
Elaine Wynn | |
|---|---|
| Born | Elaine Pascal Template:Birth date New York City, U.S. |
| Died | April 14, 2025 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, art patron, philanthropist |
| Known for | Co-founder of Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts; education reform advocate |
Elaine Farrell Wynn (née Pascal; April 28, 1942 – April 14, 2025) was a prominent American billionaire entrepreneur, art patron, philanthropist, and advocate for education reform. She played a pivotal role in founding both Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts alongside her former spouse, Steve Wynn.
Between 2012 and 2020, Wynn was a member of the Nevada State Board of Education, serving as its president in 2015 and again in 2017. Additionally, she held a position on the national board of Communities in Schools from 1999 until her passing.
Early life and education
Elaine Wynn was born into a middle-class Jewish household on April 28, 1942, in New York City. Her father worked in selling resort hotel packages, while her mother managed the household. During her childhood, she lived for a time in Miami Beach, Florida.
She pursued political science studies at George Washington University. It was during her university years that she met Steve Wynn through a blind date; the couple married by the conclusion of her junior year. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964.
Business career
In 1976, Wynn co-established Mirage Resorts with Steve Wynn and later co-founded Wynn Resorts in 2000, where she also held a seat on the board of directors. Her influence was significant in revitalizing and expanding the Las Vegas Strip. In 2015, she put herself forward for reappointment to Wynn Resorts' board but was ultimately not confirmed.
As the principal shareholder of the company, Wynn owned approximately 9% of its stock, valued near $2 billion as of May 2018. After allegations surfaced regarding Steve Wynn’s alleged sexual harassment and undisclosed settlements, he divested his 12% ownership and restored voting rights to Elaine—rights she had relinquished during their divorce settlement in 2010.
In June 2018, she spearheaded a successful shareholder proxy effort to remove John Hagenbuch from the board due to conflicts stemming from his connections to the former CEO.
At the time of her death in April 2025, Elaine Wynn retained close to a 9% stake in Wynn Resorts. Nonetheless, recent stock purchases had resulted in majority control transferring to Houston-based investor Tilman Fertitta.
Education
Wynn was actively engaged with the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation’s board of trustees, which prioritizes education and community development initiatives. From 1983 through 2008, she contributed to the UNLV Foundation, including serving as chair from 1985 to 1991; this organization focuses on fundraising efforts for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also participated on the executive board of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education.
In 1993, she co-launched Nevada’s chapter of Communities In Schools (CIS), aimed at supporting vulnerable youth populations. She joined CIS’s national board in 1999 and served as its chair from 2007 until 2024.
In 2011, Wynn co-led the Nevada Blue Ribbon Education Reform Task Force which produced Nevada’s Promise, recommending key reforms such as:
- Formation of a "Teachers and Leaders Council" tasked with creating equitable evaluation systems based on student progress and professional standards.
- Implementation of real-time data utilization to guide instructional practices and policy tailored to student requirements.
- Integration of comprehensive support services addressing health, nutrition, and family assistance within schools to enable educators to concentrate on teaching.
- Development of an accountability framework that tracks student achievement and school effectiveness with transparent public reporting.
- Adjustment of funding formulas to ensure more equitable allocation of resources among schools and districts.
Appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval to serve on the Nevada State Board of Education, Wynn was elected president during her service period and played a key role in approving the appointments of three Nevada Superintendents of Public Instruction.
The arts
In 2011, President Barack Obama named Wynn to the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She also served as co-chair of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and contributed $50 million in 2016 toward its $650 million expansion project. Additionally, she financed the placement of Michael Heizer's sculpture Levitated Mass on the museum's grounds.
In 2024, Wynn collaborated with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman to unveil plans for the Las Vegas Museum of Art, which is expected to open by 2028. This institution will work closely with LACMA to exchange collections and coordinate programming, with Wynn acting as co-chair.
Personal life and death
Wynn's marriage to businessman Steve Wynn began in 1963; they divorced in 1986, remarried in 1991, and separated again in 2010. The couple had two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian. In 1993, Kevyn was abducted, prompting Wynn to pay a ransom of $1.45 million; she was safely recovered after authorities apprehended the kidnappers during an attempt to purchase a Ferrari.
A passionate collector of art, Wynn purchased Francis Bacon's Three Studies of Lucian Freud in 2013 for $142.4 million, setting a record auction price at that time. She later loaned this piece to the Portland Art Museum for public display.
Wynn passed away from heart failure at her residence in Los Angeles on April 14, 2025, at the age of 82.
External links
- 1942 births
- 2025 deaths
- American art collectors
- American billionaires
- American company founders
- American women company founders
- American corporate directors
- Philanthropists from New York (state)
- Female billionaires
- Columbian College of Arts and Sciences alumni
- American philanthropists
- Businesspeople from New York City
- Steve Wynn