March 1, 2022 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Monday announced the passing on Sunday evening of her husband, Richard Blum, at the family home after a long battle with cancer.

“My heart is broken today. My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years. He was by my side for the good times and for the challenges. I am going to miss him terribly.

“Dick was incredibly devoted to his family, particularly his daughters and his grandchildren, and my heart is with them and everyone who Dick encountered. He was the type of man who really replaced his divot in life, who left things better than he found them. His enormous generosity is an inspiration for so many of us.

“As a role model, Dick was second to none, and I think his compassion and devotion to the people of the Himalayan region may prove to be his most enduring legacy. His friendship with the Dalai Lama helped shape us, and his creation of the American Himalayan Foundation was one of his proudest achievements.

“We have a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. Dick, we love you, we’ll miss you and we’ll continue to celebrate everything you accomplished during an amazing life.”

Background

Richard Blum was chairman of Blum Capital Partners, an equity investment management firm, but his true passion was outside the office.

For decades, Blum focused much of his time on the people of the Himalayas, founding the American Himalayan Foundation and deeply impacting the lives of thousands of people in the region. His work focused on ending human trafficking, improving health care, providing elder and child care and promoting the region’s vibrant culture. A longtime friend of the Dalai Lama, Blum is an honorary consul of Nepal.

Blum also founded the Blum Center for Developing Economies at the University of California, Berkeley, that supports students in learning how to combat global poverty and served as a model for similar Blum Centers at other UC campuses.

For nearly two decades Blum served as a member of the University of California Board of Regents and was chairman emeritus of the board.

He also served as co-chairman of the World Conference on Religion and Peace; was a founding member of National Geographic’s International Council of Advisors; was a trustee of the executive committee of The Carter Center; and sat on several boards including the World Wildlife Fund, the Wilderness Society, the Brookings Institution, the California Academy of Sciences and the Glide Foundation.

In addition to Senator Feinstein, Richard Blum is survived by his brother Robert; daughters Annette, Heidi and Eileen; stepdaughter Katherine and her husband Rick Mariano; and grandchildren Mitchell and Spencer Riley, Lea, Tristan, Julien and Benjamin Bourgade, and Eileen Mariano.
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein