Fredric R. Mann (September 13, 1903 – February 26, 1987) was an American industrialist and patron of the arts who helped finance music centers in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

and

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

. He was the first

United States Ambassador Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the United States' diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of th ...

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

, serving from 1967 until 1969. In 1968, his portfolio expanded to being United States Special Representative to several Caribbean islands. He explained his philanthropy by saying: “The Hebrew word for charity is tzedakah, which really means justice. If you live opulently, you have to share with the less fortunate.”

Personal life

Mann was born in Russia and came to the United States in 1905, moving to New Haven. Mann graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He died of cancer in Miami at the age of 83 years and had homes in Miami, Philadelphia, and Manhattan.

Career

In his 20s, Mann founded and directed the Seaboard Container Company which made cardboard boxes. It was known later as the National Container Corporation, and still later as Mann Kraft.

Patronage

Fredric R. Mann Auditorium-Tel Aviv-2.jpg Fredric R. Mann Auditorium-Tel Aviv-3.jpg As an arts patron, Mann arranged for

Zubin Mehta Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor :wikt:emeritus, emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mehta's father ...

's first conducting appearance in the United States at Robin Hood Dell (which became the

Mann Center for the Performing Arts The Mann Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Robin Hood Dell West and Mann Music Center) is a nonprofit performing arts center located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia's West Fairmount Park, built in 1976 as the su ...

after a move to the Centennial District) in 1960. He was one of the founders of what is now known as the

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is a major Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert ...

. Because he provided much of the financing for their auditorium which opened in 1957, it was named the Fredric R. Mann Auditorium.

References

External links

* MSS 154, Fredric R. Mann Papers in the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library of Yale University. {{DEFAULTSORT:Mann, Fredric 1903 births 1987 deaths Ambassadors of the United States to Barbados American patrons of the arts Wharton School alumni American company founders Deaths from cancer in Florida 20th-century American philanthropists 20th-century American diplomats