Former Chairman, The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies; and former Co-Chairman of The Seagram Company Ltd.
Charles Bronfman has spent much of his life as an active businessman. He retired following a 50 year career with The Seagram Company Limited. During that time, he was President of the Canadian subsidiaries; Senior Liaison Officer to the Du Pont Company, and upon his retirement in 2001 he was Co-Chairman of Seagram.
Mr. Bronfman was Chairman of Koor Industries Ltd. from November 1997 until May 2006. For twenty-two years he was the Chairman and principal owner of the Montreal Expos, the first Major League Baseball club to exist outside of the United States, which was subsequently sold in 1991.
He was Chairman of The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies Inc., a family of charitable foundations operating in Israel, the USA and Canada until it “sunset” at the end of 2015. The Philanthropies were committed to encouraging young people to strengthen their knowledge and appreciation of their history, heritage and cultural identity. In Canada, the goal is to enhance Canadianism. Efforts to encourage a stronger sense of national identity are directed to support two organizations: The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, and Historica Canada. He will continue personal philanthropy along with his wife.
Mr. Bronfman is Co-Chairman of Birthright Israel which provides an educational travel experience to Israel for young Jewish people throughout the world, aged 18 to 26.
Over a memorable 24-hour period in June, 1992, Mr. Bronfman was honoured by throwing the ceremonial first pitch at the World Series game in Toronto, the first such contest ever to be played outside the United States. The following afternoon in a private ceremony at the Governor General’s residence, he became a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and later that evening was elevated to Companion of the Order of Canada, our country’s highest civilian honour.
In 2002, Mr. Bronfman joined the Board of Trustees of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He established the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine in 2007.
Born on June 27, 1931 in Montreal, Canada, to the late Saidye (Rosner) Bronfman and the late Samuel Bronfman, Mr. Bronfman attended Selwyn House School, Montreal, Quebec; Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario; and McGill University, Montreal. Mr. Bronfman has two children, and five step-children as well as 10 grand-children. He is married to Rita Mayo.
