Spouse(s) Ira Statfeld Grandparent Leon Yehuda Recanati | Children 1 son | |
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Residence Amagansett, New York, U.S. Occupation Businessman, philanthropist Relatives Leon Yehuda Recanati (paternal grandfather)
Oudi Recanati (brother)
Leon Recanati (cousin) Parents Raphael Recanati, Dina Hettena | ||
Michael Recanati (born c. 1958) is an American businessman, philanthropist and political donor. He is an heir to the Overseas Shipholding Group fortune. He is a large donor to the Democratic Party and the Democracy Alliance, a network of left-wing political donors.
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Early life
Michael Recanati was born circa 1958. His father, Raphael Recanati, was a Greek-born Israeli-American businessman and philanthropist. His paternal grandfather, Leon Yehuda Recanati, was a Greek-born Israeli businessman.
Recanati was educated in a Jewish private school in Manhattan, New York City.
Career
Recanati started his career at his family business, the Overseas Shipholding Group, in 1978. He stepped down in 1995.
Recanati founded Orama, a venture capital firm was based in New York City and Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1999. It closed down in 2001. In 2008, Recanati founded Really Cool Foods, an organic food company. It closed down in 2011.
Recanati serves as the chairman of 511 Equities. He also serves on the board of directors of the PEC Israel Economic Corporation.
Philanthropy
Recanati endowed the Dina and Raphael Recanati Professorship in Immunology at the Harvard Medical School in honor of his parents in 1992. With his husband, Recanati donated US$30 million to the Child Study Center at New York University in 2007.
Political activity
Recanati is a major donor to the Democratic Party; he donated US$800,000 to President Barack Obama, Anthony Weiner, Jon Corzine and Al Franken from 2000 to 2010. From 2002 to 2006, he donated US$178,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Additionally, Recanati has made large donations to the Democracy Alliance, a secretive left-wing funding network.
Personal life
Recanati is married to Ira Statfeld. They met at school, when they were children. The two men have an adopted son, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome. They reside in Amagansett, New York, where they raise chickens on their property.