Martin Kimmel

Martin S. Kimmel (April 9, 1916 – April 15, 2008) was an American real estate developer and philanthropist who co-founded Kimco Realty Corporation, the largest builder of strip malls in the United States.

Early life and education Kimmel was born to a Jewish family in the Bronx on April 9, 1916, one of four sons of Henry and Emma Kimmel. His father, Henry Kimmel, managed a family-run lighting fixture store. After wiring many new buildings, he started buying property and built many multi-family residential buildings in New York City. moved to Florida Kimco derives its name from the surnames of the two founders. They correctly presaged that Florida was in the midst of transitioning from a vacation destination to a retirement haven. creating a professorship of molecular immunology, and contributing to the construction of the Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for University Life which houses the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. the Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design, the Helen and Martin Kimmel Hyperbaric & Advanced Wound Healing Center, and the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science. Kimmel was a long time supporter of the Jewish Museum in New York City.

Kimmel served as a trustee of New York University Langone Medical Center.

Personal life and death Kimmel was married three times: In 1953, he married American actress and singer Gloria DeHaven. They divorced in 1954. His second marriage was to Claudia Aronow, a New York artist and daughter of boat designer and racer Donald Aronow. They later divorced. They had one son together, menswear designer Adam Kimmel who is married to the actress Leelee Sobieski. His third marriage was to Helen Lyttle.