Marion Anderson

Marion Anderson, the billionaire philanthropist and chairwoman of Topa Equities Ltd., died on Sunday May 14 2017 in Los Angeles. UCLA, which received a $100 million gift from Anderson in 2015, announced the news on Monday. UCLA’s Anderson School of Management was named after the Anderson family in 1987 when the couple donated $15 million to the institution. John Anderson earned a degree in business administration at UCLA in 1940. Marion Anderson ranked No. 20 on the Business Journal’s 2017 list of Wealthiest Angelenos with a net worth of $3.91 billion. She and her children ran Century City’s Topa Equities after the 2011 death of her husband, who founded the company. Topa’s holdings include insurance firms, real estate businesses, and auto dealerships among roughly 30 entities, though its beer distribution efforts are most well-known. Brands sold by Topa include Heineken and Guinness. Anderson grew up in Los Angeles, where she met her husband. The couple was married for 44 years and have an extensive family, including four children from his previous marriage, 15 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. Marion co-chairs the Executive Committee and serves as a Steering Committee member of the New Hospital Campaign Committee. In addition, she serves on the Finance Committee, Investment Committee, Compensation Committee, Governance Committee, Nominating Committee, Government Relations Committee, Safety, Quality and Service Committee, The Saban Research Institute Committee, Awareness and Visibility Committee, and the Development Advisory Campaign Cabinet. Marion is a member of First Families and Children's Fund 100. She is Vice Chairman of Topa Equities.