Leslie Gonda
Leslie Gonda | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Mezőtúr, Hungary |
| Died | March 16, 2018 (aged 98) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Co-founder of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) |
Leslie Gonda (August 20, 1919 – March 16, 2018) was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist of Hungarian origin who survived the Holocaust. Alongside his son Louis Gonda, he established the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).
Early life
Originally named László Goldschmied, he was born in Mezőtúr, Hungary. To avoid Nazi persecution during World War II, he adopted a different surname. He completed his education at the University of Magyarovar.
Career
After World War II, in 1945, Gonda moved to Venezuela where he initiated a business dealing in local merchandise. This venture evolved into enterprises within real estate and construction sectors, eventually branching out to hotel management and aviation. In 1963, Gonda settled in Los Angeles, United States. There, together with his son Louis and partner Steven Udvar-Hazy, he co-founded ILFC, which grew to become the world’s second largest aircraft leasing company and a trailblazer in the leasing market. ILFC went public in 1983 and was acquired by American International Group (AIG) in 1990 through an exchange of AIG shares. Following this acquisition, Gonda joined AIG’s Board of Directors. He retired from AIG in 1995 but remained active by investing in commercial properties and venture capital via Lexington Commercial Holdings. His fortune suffered considerable losses after AIG’s downfall during the financial crisis of 2009.
Philanthropy
Gonda was a prominent supporter of healthcare institutions, museums, and charitable organizations. He financed the educational center at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum located in Washington, D.C.. Significant contributions were made to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where the building named after him stands. His generosity toward the UCLA Medical Center resulted in the naming of both the Gonda (Goldschmied) Neuroscience and Genetics Research Center and the Gonda Diabetes Center. Additionally, he was a benefactor of the City of Hope Cancer Center. In 1999, he donated $60 million to the Smithsonian Institution. In Israel, Gonda funded Bar-Ilan University’s "Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center" as well as their "Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Nanotechnology Triplex."
Personal life
Leslie Gonda was married to Susan Gonda, who also survived the Holocaust; she passed away in 2009. The couple had three children and lived in Beverly Hills, California. Their son Louis Gonda is married to Broadway producer Kelly Gonda, daughter of actress Honey Sanders. Leslie Gonda died on March 16, 2018, aged 98.