{{Short description|American businessman and philanthropist (1957-2015)}} {{COI|date=December 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Recanati | native_name = מיכאל רקנאטי | native_name_lang = he | birth_date = June 21, 1957 | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age text|July 12, 2015|June 21, 1957}} | death_place = | occupation = Businessman, philanthropist | partner = Tom Schalk<ref name="idc">[http://portal.idc.ac.il/he/main/about_idc/idc_friends/documents/idc-herzliyan-winter-2016.pdf The IDC Herzliyan Winter 2016 Update]</ref> | children = 1 | father = Raphael Recanati | relatives = Leon Yehuda Recanati <small>(paternal grandfather)</small><br />Leon Recanati <small>(first cousin)</small> Avraham Rakanti <small>(Great uncle)</small> }} '''Michael Recanati''' ({{Langx|he|מיכאל רקנאטי}}; 1957–2015) was an American businessman and philanthropist.
==Early life== Michael Recanati was born in 1957.<ref name="bloombergrafaelglobes">{{cite news|last1=Nassie|first1=Jonathan|title="Bloomberg": Rafael Recanati Dismissed Son from Family Shipping Co Management|url=http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-350660|accessdate=March 12, 2016|work=Globes|date=November 7, 1996}}</ref> His father, Raphael Recanati was an Israeli-American businessman and philanthropist.<ref name="bloombergrafaelglobes"/><ref name="idc"/> Recanati was educated at Ramaz School in Manhattan, New York City.<ref name="wsjbridgingtheruralcharitygap"/>
==Career== Recanati started his career at his family business, the Overseas Shipholding Group, in 1978.<ref name="bloombergrafaelglobes"/> He was forced to leave OSG in 1995 after a dispute about the company's investments in cruise ships.<ref name="bloombergrafaelglobes"/>
Recanati founded Orama, a venture capital firm based in New York City and Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1999.<ref name="bloombergorama">{{cite web|title=Company Overview of Orama Ltd|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=896750|website=Bloomberg Business|accessdate=March 13, 2016}}</ref> It closed down in 2001.<ref name="globesidbclosingdown">{{cite news|last1=Shalev|first1=Shai|title=IDB closing down Orama Partners|url=http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-537476|accessdate=March 13, 2016|work=Globes|date=November 18, 2001}}</ref> In 2008, Recanati founded Really Cool Foods, an organic food company. It closed down in 2011.<ref name="indianasreallycoolfoods">{{cite news|title=Indiana's Really Cool Foods closes doors|url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9RA0QMO1.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202001307/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9RA0QMO1.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2011|accessdate=March 13, 2016|work=BusinessWeek|date=November 28, 2011}}</ref>
Recanati served as the chairman of 511 Equities.<ref name="bloombergpecisrael">{{cite web|title=Company Overview of PEC Israel Economic Corp.: Michael Recanati|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1204214&privcapId=294536&previousCapId=294536&previousTitle=PEC%20Israel%20Economic%20Corp.|website=Bloomberg Business|accessdate=March 13, 2016}}</ref>
==Philanthropy== Recanati endowed the Dina and Raphael Recanati Professorship in Immunology at the Harvard Medical School in honor of his parents in 1992. Dr Jerome Groopman is the current chair.<ref name="chairendowed1992">{{cite news|last1=Maluf|first1=Nell M.|title=Chair Endowed for AIDS Scientist|url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1992/2/19/chair-endowed-for-aids-scientist-pa/|accessdate=March 12, 2016|work=The Crimson|date=February 19, 1992}}</ref> He also endowed the Recanati Family Professor of Science and professor of Microbiology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at New York University<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nyulangone.org/press-releases/internationally-renowned-researcher-from-nyu-langone-medical-center-elected-to-the-national-academy-of-sciences|title = Internationally Renowned Researcher from NYU Langone Elected to the National Academy of Sciences}}</ref>
In 2002, Recanati and his partner Ira Statfeld made a $5 million donation to the then Hampton Day School,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://easthamptonstar.com/Archive/1/MERGER-When-School-Lets-Out-It’s-Over|title=MERGER: When School Lets Out, It's Over|first=Amanda|last=Angel|date=June 8, 2006|accessdate=December 24, 2017|work=The East Hampton Star}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://observer.com/2003/01/hamptons-high-private-school-is-taken-over/|title=Hamptons High: Private School is Taken Over|work=New York Observer|date=January 6, 2003|accessdate=December 24, 2017}}</ref> taking control of the board of trustees and changing the name of the school to the Morriss Center in honor of Statfeld's father,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://easthamptonstar.com/Archive/2/New-Era-Dawns-Hampton-Day-School|title=A New Era Dawns At Hampton Day School|first=Susan|last=Rosenbaum|work=The East Hampton Star|date=June 19, 2003|accessdate=December 24, 2017}}</ref> however the school merged with the Ross School in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|work=The East Hampton Star|first=Amanda|last=Anegl|url=http://easthamptonstar.com/Archive/2/Ross-School-Morriss-Center-Consolidate-teach-tots-teens-two-campuses-next-year|title=Ross School, Morriss Center to Consolidate to teach tots to teens on two campuses next year|date=January 12, 2006|accessdate=December 24, 2017}}</ref> In 2007, it was reported that Recanati and his partner had donated $30 million to the Child Study Center at New York University to establish an Asperger's Institute.<ref name="wsjbridgingtheruralcharitygap">{{cite news|last1=Hughes|first1=Robert J.|title=Bridging the Rural Charity Gap|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB117703024906976311|accessdate=March 12, 2016|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=April 20, 2007}}</ref> <!-- ==Political activity== Recanati was a major donor to the Democratic Party.<ref name="insidegovmichaelrecanati">{{cite web|title=Michael Recanati Contributions|url=http://individual-contributors.insidegov.com/d/c/Michael-Recanati|website=Inside Gov|accessdate=March 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="campaign2008recanati">{{cite web|title=Michael Recanati Political Campaign Contributions 2008 Election Cycle|url=http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/michael-recanati.asp?cycle=08|website=Campaign Money|accessdate=March 13, 2016}}</ref> -->
==Personal life== Recanati and his partner Ira Statfeld had one son.<ref name="wsjbridgingtheruralcharitygap"/> They resided in Manhattan and East Hampton, New York.<ref name="roosterbanin">{{cite news|last1=Beller|first1=Peter C.|title=Roosterban in Chickenhampton: Late-sleeping summer people do battle with the fowl-loving locals.|url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/columns/intelligencer/11919/|accessdate=March 12, 2016|work=New York Magazine|date=June 6, 2005}}</ref>
His partner at time of death was Tom Schalk.<ref name="idc">[http://portal.idc.ac.il/he/main/about_idc/idc_friends/documents/idc-herzliyan-winter-2016.pdf The IDC Herzliyan Winter 2016 Update]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Recanati, Michael}} Category:1957 births Category:2015 deaths Category:American people of Greek-Jewish descent Category:Businesspeople from Manhattan Category:American company founders Category:American LGBTQ businesspeople Category:American gay men Category:Gay businessmen Category:Ramaz School alumni Michael Category:20th-century American businesspeople