Herb Kohl, the former U.S. senator, Milwaukee Bucks owner and retail shopping magnate, has died at the age of 88.
Details surrounding his death have yet to be revealed. The Herb Kohl Foundation announced his passing and marked Kohl’s legacy of always putting people first.
JoAnne Anton, director of giving for Herb Kohl Philanthropies, said, “Herb Kohl Way isn’t just the name of a street in front of the Fiserv Forum. The Herb Kohl Way perfectly sums up a legacy of humility, commitment, compromise and kindness to countless people he worked with, served and helped along the way. Those values will live on through his Foundation.”
Kohl made a significant impact on Wisconsin’s political, business and sporting culture. He had a unique public profile in the state, combining great wealth and influence with a low-key and shy persona. However, his humble demeanor did not stop him from being a leading figure in his community.
Allan “Bud” Selig, Kohl’s childhood friend and the former Major League Baseball Commissioner, expressed his grief and nostalgia by stating that “the community has lost a singular figure” who loved sports, Milwaukee and Wisconsin. Kohl’s career was exceptional at a time when wealth and power come with grandiosity and self-promotion.
The news of Kohl’s death has shocked many in Milwaukee, and the community is mourning the loss of a man who made significant contributions to the city’s growth.