David H. Koch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David H. Koch
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Koch in 2015
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| Born |
David Hamilton Koch
May 3, 1940 Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
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| Died | August 23, 2019 (aged 79) Southampton, New York, U.S.
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| Monuments | David H. Koch Theater |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | M.S. in Chemical Engineering |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S., M.S.) |
| Occupation | VP of Koch Industries |
| Known for | Philanthropy to cultural and medical institutions; Support of libertarian and conservative causes |
| Net worth | US$ 41.2 billion (June 2015) |
| Political party | Libertarian (before 1984), Republican |
| Opponent(s) | Ran on Libertarian ticket for Vice President in 1980 election against Carter–Mondale, and Reagan–Bush |
| Board member of | Aspen Institute, Cato Institute, Reason Foundation, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, WGBH, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Americans for Prosperity, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Ballet Theatre, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Deerfield Academy, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, American Museum of Natural History |
| Spouse(s) | Julia M. Flesher Koch |
| Children | David Koch Jr. Mary Julia Koch John Mark Koch |
| Parent(s) | Fred Koch Mary Robinson |
| Relatives |
Siblings:
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| Awards | Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters – Cambridge College; Corporate Citizens Award – Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars |
David Hamilton Koch (May 3, 1940 – August 23, 2019) was an American businessman, engineer, and a person who gave a lot of money to good causes (a philanthropist). He was also involved in politics. He was known for being a co-owner of Koch Industries, a very large company. David Koch retired from his company in 2018 due to health reasons. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 79.
Contents
David Koch's Life and Work
David Koch was born in Wichita, Kansas. He was one of four brothers. His father, Fred Koch, started the company that would become Koch Industries.
Education and Early Career
David Koch went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This is a very famous science and engineering school. He studied chemical engineering there. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from MIT. After college, he worked as an engineer.
Growing the Family Business
In 1970, David Koch joined his family's business, Koch Industries. This company is involved in many different areas. These include oil refining, chemicals, and manufacturing. In 1979, he became the president of Koch Engineering. This was a part of the larger company.
By 1983, David and his older brother, Charles, became co-owners of Koch Industries. David served as an executive vice president. Under their leadership, the company grew much larger. It became one of the biggest private companies in the United States.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
David Koch was well-known for his generosity. He gave away huge amounts of money to many different organizations. He supported cultural places like museums and theaters. He also gave to medical research centers.
For example, he donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He also supported the American Museum of Natural History. The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center is named after him. He also gave money to hospitals and cancer research centers. His donations helped many people and institutions.
Political Involvement
David Koch was also active in politics. He believed in ideas that supported less government control. These ideas are often called "libertarian" or "conservative." In 1980, he even ran for Vice President of the United States. He was on the Libertarian Party ticket. Later, he became a member of the Republican Party.
He helped create and fund groups that promoted his political views. One such group was Americans for Prosperity. These groups worked to influence government policies. They focused on things like lower taxes and less government spending.
Images for kids
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Fred Thompson poses with David Koch and his wife Julia Koch.
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See also
- In Spanish: David Koch para niños
