Ronald Lauder is an American philanthropist, businessman, and art collector who founded the Neue Galerie in New York. He is the son of Estee Lauder and Joseph Lauder, the founders of Estee Lauder Companies, and is a successful businessman in his own right. He had an early interest in business matters, which is unsurprising, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Before starting a successful professional career, he completed his schooling at the University of Paris and the University of Brussels. He went to work for his family’s company, the Estee Lauder Company, and quickly learned the ins and outs of running a successful company. He is a businessman as well as a political figure who was appointed as the US ambassador to Austria by President Ronald Reagan. He was a devout Republican who once ran for mayor of New York City but was defeated. He also established himself as a renowned art collector, founding the Neue Galerie in New York, a museum dedicated to early twentieth-century art from Germany and Austria. In June 2007, he was chosen president of the World Jewish Congress in honor of his strong Jewish views.
Childhood and Adolescence
Ronald Steven Lauder was born in New York City, New York, on February 26, 1944, to Estee and Joseph Lauder, the founders of the Estee Lauder Companies. He was reared as a Jew.
He attended the Bronx High School of Science before attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Business.
He went on to acquire a Certificate in International Business from the University of Brussels after continuing his education at the University of Paris.
Ronald lauder’s career
In 1964, Ronald Lauder started his professional career at his parents’ company, Estee Lauder Company. He acquired the fundamentals of running a successful business from his parents, whom he had closely observed since he was a child.
From a young age, he was interested in politics and political engagement. He was appointed as the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Affairs in 1983, a post he held until 1986.
President Ronald Reagan selected him as the United States ambassador to Austria in 1986. In this capacity, he established strong diplomatic ties between the two countries and personally condemned Kurt Waldheim, the Austrian president at the time, who had a Nazi history.
While serving in Austria, he began researching his Judeo-Hungarian ancestors and learned that Jews were still present not only in Hungary but also throughout Central and Eastern Europe. His experiences in Austria deepened his passion for his Jewish history, and he determined to resurrect Jewish life in towns decimated by the Holocaust throughout Central and Eastern Europe.
Ronald Lauder has been a Republican since he was a small child. In 1989, he chose to run for mayor of New York City, but he was defeated in the Republican primary by Rudy Giuliani.
In 1998, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that Lauder start Track II negotiations with Syrian President Hafez al-Asad. As a result of their conversations, Asad was willing to make sacrifices with the Israelis as part of a larger land-for-peace arrangement. This led to Israeli-Syrian talks at Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in January 2000, however they failed to produce any positive results.
From 1999 to 2001, Lauder served as Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, demonstrating his commitment to Jewish interests.
Lauder, a well-known art collector, founded the Neue Galerie in New York in 2001. The museum is dedicated to early twentieth-century art from Germany and Austria, and it includes one of the best collections of Egon Schiele’s work in the world. He also owns the greatest private collection of medieval and Renaissance armor in the world.
Ronald Lauder has long been active in Jewish advocacy, therefore his election as President of the World Jewish Congress and President of the World Jewish Restitution Organization the following year came as no surprise. He is the Chairman of the Jewish Heritage Council as well.
His Major Projects
Ronald Lauder founded the Neue Galerie in New York, a museum dedicated to early twentieth-century German and Austrian art and design. The gallery gained a reputation as New York’s foremost gallery for Austrian and German Expressionist art almost immediately after its opening. The museum houses works by Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele, among others.
Philanthropic Contributions
In 1987, he founded the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports Jewish causes. The organization’s principal goal is to reconstruct Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe.
An International Student Exchange Program connects New York City high school students with counterparts in Vienna, Budapest, Warsaw, Prague, St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Sofia, and is one of the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation’s key programs.
He is also affiliated with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Jewish National Fund, the World Jewish Congress, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, all of which are dedicated to Jewish interests.
Achievements & Awards
In 2006, Ronald Lauder received the International Emmy Directorate Award.
Personal History and Legacy
He has two children, Aerin and Jane, with Jo Carole Knopf Lauder, whom he married in 1967.
Estimated Net worth
Ronald Lauder’s net worth was estimated to be $4 billion in May 2015.