Herbert H. Kohl ’56, a giant of Wisconsin business, politics, and philanthropy, is being remembered by the University of Wisconsin–Madison community as a distinguished alumnus, strong advocate, and loyal supporter.
Kohl died Wednesday at his home in Milwaukee. He was 88.
“Herb Kohl was one of the greats, and I’m honored and grateful that I had the chance to spend time with him several times over the last 18 months,” UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin says.
“During his 88 years, Senator Kohl made an incredible mark on our state as a businessman, politician, and philanthropist. And he was a devoted Badger, an alumnus, a supporter, and a champion of the university and of higher education,” Mnookin says. I am so grateful for his generosity to the Kohl Center and the La Follette School of Public Affairs, his common-sense approach to politics, and his fundamental decency.”
The son of Polish and Russian immigrants, Kohl was born and raised in Milwaukee. After graduating from Washington High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree from UW–Madison in 1956 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1958.
He joined the United States Army Reserve and served until 1964, and then worked as an investor in the stock market and real estate. After his father Max’s passing in 1981, Kohl and his brother Sidney ran the family’s chain of department and grocery stores, with Herb serving as CEO and president.
Kohl ran successfully to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate in 1988 and was widely popular, winning reelection three times in his home state. Announcing in 2012 that he would not seek reelection, he was succeeded by Tammy Baldwin JD’89.
In 1995, Kohl contributed $25 million to the UW to build the Kohl Center multipurpose arena, the home of the UW men’s and women’s basketball teams, and the UW men’s hockey team as well as commencements, concerts, and major university events. The donation was at the time the largest private donation in the university’s history.
“It is difficult to do justice to the impact that Senator Kohl had — and will continue to have — on the lives of those he touched through his generosity, standard of excellence, and care for the people not only of Wisconsin but of our country. He spent his life making other lives better,” says UW athletic director Chris McIntosh ’04, MS’19. “UW athletics, in particular, is forever in his debt for the arena on campus that bears his name and for his countless other acts of support that have enriched the lives of generations of student-athletes, staff, and coaches. We have lost a true legend. Our deepest condolences go out to Senator Kohl’s family and friends.”
Kohl’s passion for athletics extended beyond the UW. In 1985, Kohl purchased the Milwaukee Bucks and was instrumental in efforts to ensure the franchise remained in his hometown. He owned the franchise until 2014. Kohl was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, and he retained ownership of the Bucks for almost 30 years, selling the franchise in 2014.
His commitment to campus also was demonstrated through his philanthropic Kohl Initiative, which emphasized public service and policy-making. With a $10 million contribution from Herb Kohl Philanthropies in 2019, the Kohl Initiative helped UW–Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs expand outreach efforts, train future leaders, and conduct influential research.
“Our democracy is being threatened by bitter partisanship, and the La Follette School is poised to lead by example — fostering cooperation, respectful discourse, and service to others,” Kohl said at the time.
The school now hosts the annual La Follette Forum, convening hundreds of lawmakers and leaders to discuss timely policy topics and bridge partisan divides.
Gifts from Kohl have also enabled the La Follette School to establish the Herb Kohl Public Service Research Competition, which funds faculty research that informs public policy and governance debates, and to expand public policy education to undergraduates at the UW through two new certificate programs.
La Follette School of Public Affairs director and professor Susan Webb Yackee calls Kohl “an incredible public servant and champion of the University of Wisconsin.”
“His legacy touched on many aspects of life — from business to politics to sports — but nowhere will it be more lasting than in his dedication to educating the next generation of leaders,” Yackee says. “Senator Kohl’s philanthropic investment in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and our students is a shining example of his impact. We are fortunate to have learned from his example, and I am personally grateful to have benefited from his mentorship. My thoughts and prayers are with his close family and friends. He will be missed.”
In 1990, he started the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation, which has provided more than $30 million in grants and scholarships to Wisconsin students, teachers, and schools. His main charitable entity, Herb Kohl Philanthropies, has awarded thousands of grants to nonprofits that support educational and economic opportunity.
“My parents taught me the immeasurable value of a good education,” Kohl said in an interview last year with On Wisconsin magazine. “Education is an investment with the greatest return. It is also the great equalizer.”
Those who knew him and worked closely with him said that he prioritized people and accomplished his work with a sense of humor and a smile, according to Ben Miller, the UW’s assistant vice chancellor for government affairs and strategic partnerships and a former Kohl legislative assistant from 2000 to 2004.
“Senator Kohl was instrumental in helping to guide my career and has been a dear friend for more than 20 years,” he says. “I will always remember his humor, kindness, and generosity and remain thankful for all he has contributed to making this world a better place.”
