Wendell Cherry (September 25, 1935 – July 16, 1991) was an American lawyer, entrepreneur, art collector and patron. The company he co-founded, Humana, grew under his leadership to become the largest hospital operator in the United States. In the 1980s he also built one of the country's most important art collections.
Cherry was born in 1935 in Horse Cave, a rural community in Kentucky, to a grocery wholesaler, Layman S. Cherry, and his wife, Geneva (born Spillman). He was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, studied business administration and graduated in 1957. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1959. During this time he worked as chief editor of the Kentucky Law Journal.[1]
Family
Cherry first married Mary Elizabeth Baird. Then married interior designer Dorothy O'Connell, and lived in Louisville and New York.[2]
Sports promoter
Cherry belonged in the 1960s to a group of citizens from Louisville, who supported Louisville native Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) in his early heavyweight boxing career.[2] He worked as a lawyer for the group, collecting money from the sponsors for Clay.
Art collector
The American art magazine Art & Antiques named Cherry in 1985 among the 100 most important art collectors of the United States. The reputation of his collection was not only because of the quality of the works, but also for the sometimes very high prices that he paid for these pictures and scored from subsequent sales. A record-breaking example of these works was Pablo Picasso's self-portrait Yo, Picasso. Cherry purchased the picture in 1981 at Sotheby's for $5.3 million,[2] at the time the highest amount ever paid for a Picasso painting.
Philanthropy
Cherry was one of the driving forces in establishing The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in 1983. From 1980 to 1987, he led this institution as CEO (board chairman). In 1990, he acquired the painting Funeral of a Mummy by American painter Frederick Arthur Bridgman for the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, on whose board he was a member.
In the field of academia, Cherry endowed the University of Kentucky College of Law with $100,000 for the H. Wendell Cherry Professor of Law. He also endowed two chairs dedicated to medicine at the School of Medicine, the Wendell Cherry Chair in Clinical Trial Research and The Wendell Cherry Chair in Cancer Translational Research.[1]
References
^ ab"UK Alumni Association - Wendell Cherry". www.ukalumni.net. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
^ abcFowler, Glenn (1991-07-18). "Wendell Cherry Is Dead at 55; Hospital Leader". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
Sources
John E. Kleber: The Encyclopedia of Louisville. University Press of Kentucky, Lexington 200, ISBN0-8131-2100-0.
Sotheby's New York (Hrsg.): Property from the Estate of Wendell Cherry. Auctions Catalog Sale 6565, Sotheby's New York, New York 1994.
April 12, 2023
wendell, cherry, september, 1935, july, 1991, american, lawyer, entrepreneur, collector, patron, company, founded, humana, grew, under, leadership, become, largest, hospital, operator, united, states, 1980s, also, built, country, most, important, collections, . Wendell Cherry September 25 1935 July 16 1991 was an American lawyer entrepreneur art collector and patron The company he co founded Humana grew under his leadership to become the largest hospital operator in the United States In the 1980s he also built one of the country s most important art collections Contents 1 Life and career 1 1 Family 1 2 Sports promoter 1 3 Art collector 1 4 Philanthropy 2 References 3 SourcesLife and career EditCherry was born in 1935 in Horse Cave a rural community in Kentucky to a grocery wholesaler Layman S Cherry and his wife Geneva born Spillman He was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity studied business administration and graduated in 1957 He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1959 During this time he worked as chief editor of the Kentucky Law Journal 1 Family Edit Cherry first married Mary Elizabeth Baird Then married interior designer Dorothy O Connell and lived in Louisville and New York 2 Sports promoter Edit Cherry belonged in the 1960s to a group of citizens from Louisville who supported Louisville native Cassius Clay later known as Muhammad Ali in his early heavyweight boxing career 2 He worked as a lawyer for the group collecting money from the sponsors for Clay Art collector Edit The American art magazine Art amp Antiques named Cherry in 1985 among the 100 most important art collectors of the United States The reputation of his collection was not only because of the quality of the works but also for the sometimes very high prices that he paid for these pictures and scored from subsequent sales A record breaking example of these works was Pablo Picasso s self portrait Yo Picasso Cherry purchased the picture in 1981 at Sotheby s for 5 3 million 2 at the time the highest amount ever paid for a Picasso painting Philanthropy Edit Cherry was one of the driving forces in establishing The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in 1983 From 1980 to 1987 he led this institution as CEO board chairman In 1990 he acquired the painting Funeral of a Mummy by American painter Frederick Arthur Bridgman for the Speed Art Museum in Louisville on whose board he was a member In the field of academia Cherry endowed the University of Kentucky College of Law with 100 000 for the H Wendell Cherry Professor of Law He also endowed two chairs dedicated to medicine at the School of Medicine the Wendell Cherry Chair in Clinical Trial Research and The Wendell Cherry Chair in Cancer Translational Research 1 References Edit a b UK Alumni Association Wendell Cherry www ukalumni net Retrieved 2016 03 01 a b c Fowler Glenn 1991 07 18 Wendell Cherry Is Dead at 55 Hospital Leader The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2016 03 01 Sources EditJohn E Kleber The Encyclopedia of Louisville University Press of Kentucky Lexington 200 ISBN 0 8131 2100 0 Sotheby s New York Hrsg Property from the Estate of Wendell Cherry Auctions Catalog Sale 6565 Sotheby s New York New York 1994 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wendell Cherry amp oldid 1098451439, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
