Norman and Irma Braman
/NET WORTH: $2.5 billion
SOURCE OF WEALTH: Braman Motorcars
FUNDING AREAS: Health, Arts & Culture, Education & Youth, Jewish Causes
OVERVIEW: Norman and Irma Braman conduct philanthropy through the Braman Family Charitable Foundation and the Irma and Norman Braman Art Foundation. Through these vehicles, the family focuses on areas like healthcare, the arts, and Jewish causes.
BACKGROUND: Born in Philadelphia to immigrant parents, Braman graduated from Temple University. He began his career in 1955 in the marketing and sales department for Seagram's Distributors. Braman made his first fortune selling pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. He went on to launch Braman Motorcars, which owns one of Florida's largest car dealerships. Braman is a former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles.
ISSUES:
HEALTH: Braman serves on the board of overseers of University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2002, the Bramans made a $5 million contribution which helped create the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at UM/Sylvester, which is dedicated to advancing breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The couple are also major backers of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where they recently made a $5 million gift to expand the Suzi and Scott Lustgarten Center for GI Motility, which they originally helped create with a prior $5 million donation. The center bears the name of their daughter, Suzi Braman Lustgarten and her husband, Scott Lustgarten, Philadelphia-area residents who also support the hospital. The Bramans’ granddaughter deals with gastroparesis, which restricts the body’s ability to move food out of her stomach.
The family have also supported Kortney Rose Foundation, which deals with pediatric brain cancer, St. Judes Children’s Hopsital, and Disabled Veterans.
ARTS & CULTURE: The couple are major art collectors, focusing on modern and contemporary art. They’ve appeared on ARTnews top 200 collector’s list every year since 1990. Through the Irma and Norman Braman Art Foundation, the couple has loaned artwork to University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art. They also funded the construction of Miami's Institute for Contemporary Art, a free museum which opened in 2017. Away from their typical locus, the family has also supported Cleveland Orchestra.
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Grantees have included City Year, Breakthrough Miami, Classical Preparatory School, True North Classical Academy, and PTA Florida.
JEWISH CAUSES: The Bramans are big supporters of University of Miami Hillel, including its Braman Miller Center for Jewish Student Life. They’ve also directed millions to Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Other grantees have included Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect grantmaking to continue to track with established interest areas. Away from South Florida, the family’s deep ties to Philadelphia should be watched as well.
CONTACT:
The Braman family’s foundations do not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch but below are addresses:
The Braman Family 2011 Charitable Foundation
2060 Biscayne Blvd, 2nd Fl.
Miami, Fl 33137
(305) 576-1889
The Irma and Norman Braman Art Foundation
2060 Biscayne Blvd, 2nd Fl.
Miami, Fl 33137
(305) 576-1889
