Grandson of Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller Sr., born in 1915, David Rockefeller was born into a position where he easily could have floated through greedy business and politics, feeding off the detriment to others. David Rockefeller chose a different path. He became a dreamer, a visionary and a philanthropist. After building Rockefeller Center in Midtown, Rockefeller moved his sights in the 1940s to a downtown “world trade center.” He soon learned his vision was shared by very few; he encountered incredible opposition from state government, wealthy business owners, poor Radio Row inhabitants, and everyone in-between. It took 30 years, a U.S. Supreme Court case, and a lot of backlash, but Rockefeller saw his dreams through; his towers were completed in 1972. Rockefeller died on March 20, 2017 of congestive heart failure at age 101.
“Today the world has lost a great man and philanthropist, a dear friend and inspiration.” Rockefeller Foundation President, Rajiv Shah, said in a statement. “All of us who work to make change by bringing together leaders from the worlds of business, government, philanthropy and beyond owe David an enormous debt of gratitude — we’re all walking across bridges that he helped build.”
