William H. Ahmanson
William H. Ahmanson (October 12, 1925 – 2008) was an American chief executive, philatelist and philanthropist from Los Angeles, California. He served as the chairman and chief executive officer of H. F. Ahmanson & Co. from 1969 to 1984. He also served as vice chairman of The Ahmanson Foundation.
William H. Ahmanson | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 12, 1925 Omaha, Nebraska, US |
| Died | 2008 |
| Occupation | Businessman, philatelist, philanthropist |
| Spouse(s) | Carol Ahmanson |
| Children | 8 |
| Relatives | Robert H. Ahmanson (brother) Howard F. Ahmanson, Sr. (uncle) Howard Ahmanson, Jr. (cousin) |
Early life & education
William Hayden. Ahmanson was born on October 12, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska.[1][2] He had a brother, Robert H. Ahmanson.[3] His father served as the president of the National American Insurance Co. of Omaha.[2] His uncle, Howard F. Ahmanson, Sr., was the founder of H. F. Ahmanson & Co., an insurance and savings and loans corporation based in Los Angeles.[3] He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a bachelor's degree in business and finance in 1950.[1][2]
Career
He served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of H. F. Ahmanson & Co. from 1969 to 1984.[1][2] He served on the board of trustees of The Ahmanson Foundation from 1952 to 2008.[4] He supported the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, the California Institute of the Arts, and the Doheny Eye Institute.[1]
As a philatelist, he donated his extensive collection of Canadian stamps from British Columbia, Vancouver Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland to the National Postal Museum.[1] It is known as the "Ahmansion Collection."[5]
Personal life
He was married to Carol Ahmanson.[2] They had eight children and twelve grandchildren.[2] He died of emphysema in 2008 in Malibu, California.[2][1]