Helmsley Charitable Trust

Helmsley Charitable Trust

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust was established in 1999 and began active grantmaking in 2008 after Leona Helmsley's death. The endowment originated from the Helmsley real estate holdings, including prior interests in the Empire State Building and Park Lane Hotel that were liquidated to fund operations. Trustees include grandsons David Panzirer and Walter Panzirer along with longtime counsel Sandor Frankel. The trust allocates 38.46 percent of assets to private equity and maintains commitments to Sequoia Capital U.S. Venture Fund XIV, Western Technology Investment Fund IX, and OrbiMed Advisors. It also holds program-related investments in TIXiMED and StartUp Health while participating as a limited partner in the T1D Fund alongside Breakthrough T1D. Geographic reach covers the United States and Israel through dedicated program areas, with additional exposure in Sub-Saharan Africa via grants and co-investments. The organization employs 120 professionals at its New York headquarters. Josh Fenton was appointed Chief Investment Officer in 2024. Adjacent vehicles include the core trust itself and historical holdings such as a Gulfstream IV previously operated by Helmsley Enterprises. The trust maintains memberships in the Health Research Alliance and PEAK Grantmaking. Governance separates investment decisions from grantmaking through a dedicated CIO role reporting to the trustees. This architecture allows the endowment to pursue both traditional fund commitments and direct program-related investments without a separate family office entity managing personal wealth.