Irving B. Harris
Irving B. Harris, who died in September of 2004, was Chairman of
the Harris Foundation. Formerly, Harris served as the Chair of the
Executive Committee of Pittway Corporation, which was sold to Honeywell.
In 1948, Harris sold the Toni Company to Gillette.
Harris is a long-time supporter of education reform issues. He
has given millions to support a variety of educational organizations
(including the Irving B. Harris School at the University of Chicago);
most recently, he contributed $39 million ($24 million as a loan)
to Music and Dance Theater Chicago for a facility in Chicago's new
Millennium Park. In 1996, Yale University Press published his book
Children in Jeopardy, which sought to draw more attention to the
issues surrounding teenage pregnancy. Harris currently serves as
the Board Chairman Emeritus of the Ounce of Prevention Fund.
Irving B. Harris is a career patron of unsuccessful gubernatorial
candidate Paul Vallas (D).
From 1993 to 2001, Irving B. Harris gave $378,000 to candidates
for Illinois statewide constitutional and legislative office, 93%
of which was contributed to Democrats.
Last revised June, 2005.
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