(New York, November 13, 2008)—David H. Koch has been elected to the Board of Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it was announced today by James R. Houghton, the Museum's Chairman. Mr. Koch's election took place at the November 12 meeting of the Board.
Mr. Koch is an executive vice president and a board member of Koch Industries, Inc., based in Wichita, Kansas. The corporation is involved in refining and chemicals; process and pollution control equipment and technologies; minerals and fertilizers; fibers and polymers; commodity and financial trading and services; and forest and consumer products. He is also chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Koch Chemical Technology Group, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries. Prior to joining Koch Industries in 1970, he worked as a research engineer and process design engineer for Amicon Corporation and Arthur D. Little, both in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Halcon International, Inc. and its affiliate, the Scientific Design Company, in New York City.
"David Koch has been actively involved with the Metropolitan Museum since 1982, as a founding member of the Chairman's Council," commented James R. Houghton. "Subsequently, he and his wife Julia have distinguished themselves with important gifts to the Fund for the Met – specifically in support of the Textile Conservation Laboratory in the Antonio Ratti Textile Center and to endow the position of David H. Koch Scientist in Charge in the Museum's Department of Scientific Research. They have also been energetic supporters of The Costume Institute and have been exemplary contributors to funds benefiting Museum acquisitions and special exhibitions. David was also an honoree of the Corporate Benefit in 2005, and was just appointed Vice Chairman of the newly formed Visiting Committee for the Department of Scientific Research. I am delighted to welcome him to the Board, and I know that we will benefit greatly from his wide-ranging interests, keen insights, and unique expertise."
"Preserving works of art is just as central to the Museum's mission as are collecting and displaying art, and helping people to appreciate them," continued Philippe de Montebello, Director of the Metropolitan Museum. "I am very pleased to welcome David Koch to the Museum's board, where he will be a strong supporter of our activities in this critical area."
Educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering, Mr. Koch received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Cambridge College. He was honored by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for Excellence in Corporate Leadership and received the prestigious Corporate Citizenship Award from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in 2004. Other recognition includes the Double Helix medal of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Bronze Beaver award of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
His philanthropic interests include cancer research, medical centers, and arts, educational, and cultural institutions. He received a presidential appointment to the National Cancer Advisory Board of the National Cancer Institute in 2004, and was honored by The New York Academy of Medicine for his support of biomedical research, health care, and education. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he established The David H. Koch School of Chemical Engineering Practice, was honored with the dedication of the David H. Koch Biology Building, and is a major contributor to The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. The David H. Koch Cancer Research Center on Johns Hopkins University's East Baltimore medical campus, dedicated in December 2006, honors Mr. Koch for his commitment to the center. He has also supported cancer research at the University of Texas. A 2006 gift to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to support the dinosaur exhibits, created the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing.
In addition, he has been active in public policy, serving on the boards of the Cato Institute and the Reason Foundation – organizations that apply market-based concepts to issues of peace, prosperity and social progress.
Mr. Koch serves on numerous non-profit boards, including: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, Rockefeller University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, American Ballet Theatre, American Museum of Natural History, Aspen Institute (Aspen, Colorado), Institute of Human Origins (Phoenix, Arizona), Educational Broadcasting Corporation (New York City), WGBH (Boston), and the Smithsonian National Natural History Museum.
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November 13, 2008
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