Zanvyl Krieger
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Zanvyl Krieger | |
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| Born | April 1, 1906 Baltimore, Maryland, US |
| Died | September 15, 2000 (aged 94) Baltimore, Maryland, US |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse | Isabelle Lowenthal |
Zanvyl Krieger (April 1, 1906 – September 15, 2000) was an American lawyer, businessman and philanthropist in Baltimore, Maryland.[1][2][3] He was best known for his philanthropy, including major donations to the Johns Hopkins University and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Krieger amassed his fortune through being heir to a liquor business and an investment in U.S. Surgical Corp, which manufactured surgical staples.
The youngest of eight children, Zanvyl Krieger was born in Baltimore in 1906 to wealthy Jewish liquor sellers and distributors Herman and Bettie Farber Krieger.[3] Owners of the Gunther Brewery and the largest distillery of rye whiskey in the country, his parents were very successful in business.[1] Herman Krieger died when Zanvyl was just four. For high school, he attended Baltimore City College. After graduating high school, he attended the Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated in 1928 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He subsequently attended Harvard Law School, joining the law firm of Weinberg and Sweeten after his graduation in 1931.[3]
Business career
Krieger was a longtime lawyer at the firm Weinberg and Sweeten, staying with the firm from 1931 until his retirement in the 1990s. He was also an extremely successful businessman. He amassed his fortune through an investment in U.S. Surgical Corp. in 1964. The company brought a surgical incision stapling device developed in the Soviet Union to the United States.[1]