Herb Kohl Biography Quotes 10 Report mistakes

Early Life and Family
Herbert H. Kohl was born on February 7, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Max Kohl and Mary (Hiken) Kohl, a family whose name would become synonymous with Midwestern retail. His father, Max, founded a local grocery that grew into Kohl's, and the family business environment gave Herb early exposure to entrepreneurship, frugality, and community-mindedness. He grew up in Milwaukee's public schools and remained closely tied to the city throughout his life. His brother Sidney Kohl was a key figure in the family enterprise, and the siblings worked closely as the business evolved. The family's Jewish heritage and immigrant experience shaped their emphasis on education, hard work, and philanthropy.

Education and Early Career
Kohl attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he formed friendships that influenced his life, most notably with Allan "Bud" Selig, who would later become Major League Baseball's commissioner. After earning his undergraduate degree, Kohl completed an MBA at Harvard Business School. His formal training in finance and management, combined with the practical lessons he learned from his father and brother, prepared him for leadership in the expanding retail operation that bore their name.

Business Leadership
Returning to Milwaukee, Kohl played a central role in the family business as it grew from a grocery operation into a department-store chain. With Max and Sidney, he helped guide Kohl's through a period of diversification and success that made it a regional retail mainstay. He gained a reputation for steady leadership and careful stewardship, emphasizing sound finances, customer loyalty, and local roots. As the business matured and corporate ownership structures changed, Kohl remained a visible civic figure in Milwaukee, known for balancing business with public service and philanthropy rather than seeking the spotlight.

Milwaukee Bucks Ownership
In 1985, Kohl purchased the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA amid concerns the franchise might leave the city. As owner, he made keeping the team in Milwaukee a priority, investing in stability and community presence over short-term gains. His approach stressed continuity and respect for fans, and he maintained a hands-on but measured ownership style. In 2014, he sold the franchise to Wes Edens and Marc Lasry, securing a commitment that the team would stay in Milwaukee. In connection with the sale, he pledged $100 million toward a new arena project, a gesture that underscored his belief that major-league sports belong in and can strengthen Midwestern cities. The Bucks' home and the surrounding district became part of a broader revitalization strategy for downtown Milwaukee, reflecting his long-standing focus on community outcomes.

Political Career
A Democrat with a pragmatic streak, Kohl was elected to the United States Senate from Wisconsin in 1988 and went on to serve four terms, retiring in 2013. He cultivated a reputation for independence and constituent service, captured by his oft-repeated pledge to be "Nobody's Senator but Yours". In the Senate he focused on issues central to Wisconsin families: education, agriculture, small business growth, seniors' needs, and fiscal responsibility. He served on the Appropriations Committee and chaired the Special Committee on Aging, where he worked on prescription drug affordability, retirement security, and oversight of programs vital to older Americans. He was known for a low-key style, careful oversight of federal spending, and bipartisan efforts on practical matters affecting everyday life. Over the years he served alongside Wisconsin colleagues including Russ Feingold and, following his retirement, was succeeded in his seat by Tammy Baldwin.

Philanthropy and Community Impact
Kohl's philanthropy reflected his priorities: education, youth development, and civic infrastructure. He founded the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation, which has provided scholarships for Wisconsin students and recognition and support for teachers and principals across the state. His support for higher education included a major gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison that helped build the Kohl Center, the arena that became home to Badgers basketball and hockey and a hub for campus life and community events. He also supported youth-serving organizations in Milwaukee, including Boys & Girls Clubs, and contributed to efforts that bolstered neighborhoods and public spaces. These investments embodied his conviction that opportunity and civic pride grow from steady, locally driven work.

Personal Life and Character
Kohl never married and kept his personal life private. Friends and colleagues consistently described him as modest, disciplined, and deeply loyal to Wisconsin. His long friendship with Bud Selig illustrated his preference for enduring relationships and quiet counsel over fanfare. In both business and politics, he favored careful preparation, straightforward communication, and sustained engagement over headlines. He maintained a close connection to his family, honoring the legacy of Max and Mary Kohl and the ethic they instilled. His public persona of restraint and the absence of personal self-promotion were hallmarks of a career that balanced commerce, public service, and philanthropy with uncommon consistency.

Later Years and Legacy
Kohl announced in 2012 that he would not seek another term in the Senate and left office the following year. His sale of the Bucks and contribution to a new arena were capstones to his Milwaukee-centric vision, while the continued growth of his educational foundation ensured that students and educators would benefit from his philanthropy long after his retirement. He died on December 7, 2023, at the age of 88. Tributes emphasized his integrity, civic loyalty, and the tangible ways he improved life in Wisconsin: a sustained commitment to schools, a major-league team kept at home, and decades of measured, constituent-focused service in the Senate.

Kohl's legacy endures in the institutions he strengthened and the people he supported: students and teachers recognized by his foundation; fans who cheer in an arena his generosity helped realize; and Wisconsinites who saw in him a familiar neighbor who used business acumen and public office to advance community goals. Through family ties to Max and Sidney Kohl, lifelong friendship with Bud Selig, and work with colleagues such as Russ Feingold and Tammy Baldwin, he wove a network of relationships that amplified his influence. Above all, Herb Kohl exemplified a distinctly Midwestern model of leadership: humble, practical, and centered on serving the place he called home.

Our collection contains 10 quotes who is written by Herb, under the main topics: Justice - Leadership - Hope - Parenting - Sports.

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