Gordon Gund Biography – Sculptor And Businessman

Gordon Gund is an American businessman, venture investor, entrepreneur, artist, and a prominent philanthropist. Mr. Gund is the Chairman and CEO of Gund Investment Corporation in Princeton, New Jersey. Formerly, he owned the majority of the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA team. 

Let’s learn how Gordon established his empire of businesses, his struggles, stories of success, and many more. This short biography highlights the different aspects of Mr. Gund’s professional and personal life.

Son Of A Renowned Businessman

On October 15, 1939, the affluent businessman was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He grew up with his five siblings, George Gund III, Agnes Gund, Graham Gund, Geoffrey Gund, and Louise Gund. Gordon Gund’s father, George Gund II, was a renowned and wealthy businessperson. The senior Gund ran the Cleveland Trust Company bank and invested heavily in real estate.

Gordon Gund’s mother, Jessica Laidlaw Roesler, often volunteered at an orphanage near their house. Likewise, the Gund family has been very inclined toward charity works from the beginning. So, all the Gund siblings were aware of such activities from a young age.

Gordon attended Groton School in Massachusetts and later graduated from Harvard University. In addition, he also has honorary doctorates from Gothenburg University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Whittier College, and the University of Vermont.

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Gordon Gund Net Worth – $2.3 Billion

Mr. Gund inherited his father’s fortunes, such as the U.S. patent for decaffeinated coffee, which he commercialized under the Coffee Hag brand. In the late 1920s, he sold the company to Kellogg’s for $10 million in Kellogg stock. As a result of such businesses and investments, Gordon Gund’s net worth is estimated at a massive amount of $2.3 billion.

In the 1970s, the businessman bought stakes in the biotech companies Gilead Sciences Inc. and Align Technology Inc. As of 2021, their revenues are $27.3 billion and $3.9 billion, respectively. Along with his brother George III, Gordon bought and sold three professional sports teams, the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars (Dallas Stars), San Jose Sharks, and NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Gunds family has been called “The Renaissance Family“ by Forbes. Gordon was also to the Wall of Honor by the Cavaliers in 2022.

The Cleveland native is also a talented sculptor whose works are mostly bronze and clay sculptures. His creations are also featured in Anne d’Harnoncourt Sculpture Garden, the Cleveland Institute of Art, etc. Hence, he must also make considerable earnings from his sculptures.

The venture capitalist has amassed abundantly from his investments. Furthermore, Gordon Gund’s net worth is affluent to his flourishing businesses. Also, speaking of which, the Gund family’s fortune is estimated to be $3.4 billion.

Furthermore, the business mogul started going blind in the 1960s and completely lost his eyesight by 1970. He and his spouse have donated millions towards research to cure retinal diseases that cause blindness. In addition, Gordon and his family donated $1.5 million to the Carroll Center for the Blind in 2022. As a tribute, the institution renamed its’ main building to Lulie Gund Center for Vision Rehabilitation on December 5, 2021.

Similarly, Ronald Burkle is another multi-billionaire businessman.

Gordon’s Wife Passed Away

The coffee heir met his spouse, Llura Liggett, an aspiring actress in New York. Liggett grew up in the Tampa suburb of Thonotosassa and was in NYC to pursue acting. The duo got married in 1966. A few years after their marriage, Gordon lost his vision to Retinitis Pigmentosa, and his partner supported him to flourish in his business pursuits. Sadly, Llura passed away on March 15, 2020.

Through their beautiful bond and blissful marital life that lasted over 50 years, the couple co-founded the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). Gordon Gund’s late wife, Lulie Gund, started the Princeton chapter of FFB and ran it for 48 years. Additionally, she devoted more than twenty years as a trustee and vice president of the George Gund Foundation.

Proud Father Of Two

Along with his late spouse, the sculptor shares two children. Gordon Gund’s sons, Grant Gund and G. Zachary Gund, aka Zack, graduated from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Presently, they are the founders and managing partners of Coppermine Capital LLC. Following their father’s footsteps, Grant and Zack are successful entrepreneurs and businessmen.

Despite his blindness, Gordon continued to work hard to establish his business. Moreover, he has been contributing to many organizations to help people in need of finances and medical assistance. Mr. Gund is one of America’s wealthiest businessmen and the kindest humanitarians. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Facts And Trivia

• Gordon Gund was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
• He played ice hockey in college.
• Gund was in the navy for three years.

• Agnes Gund Celebrity Babies Celebrity Biography Celebrity Romance G. Zachary Gund Geoffrey Gund George Gund II George Gund III Gordon Gund Gothenburg University Graham Gund Grant Gund Groton School Harvard University Jessica Laidlaw Roesler Kellogg School of Management Llura Liggett Louise Gund Lulie Gund Northwestern University Ronald Burkle University of Maryland Baltimore University of Vermont Whittier College Zack