Former Senator Herbert Kohl, Milwaukee Bucks Owner, Passes Away at 88

Herbert H. Kohl, a four-term United States senator, Wisconsin Democrat, and long-time owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, died at age 88. The Herb Kohl Foundation, announced his death following a brief illness.

Kohl was a devoted Milwaukee citizen, born and raised in the city by parents who had immigrated from Poland and Russia. His father, Maxwell Kohl, opened a corner grocery store in 1927, which grew into an empire of Kohl’s stores across the Upper Midwest.

By 1972, the Kohl family oversaw 50 grocery stores, six department stores, and several pharmacy and liquor store networks. In 2012, under new ownership, Kohl’s became the largest department store chain in the U.S. Kohl served as president of the Kohl Corporation until 1979 and then shifted his focus to new challenges.

He bought the Milwaukee Bucks in 1985 and owned the team for 29 years. Despite many losing seasons, Kohl consistently invested to keep the team afloat. He also held a Senate seat from 1989 to 2013, becoming a popular advocate for working families, small-business owners, and the elderly.

Kohl stood out for his self-funded campaigns, allowing him to resist special interest pressures. Despite his wealth, he was known among his colleagues as friendly, unassuming and modest. His political ideology was centered on fiscal responsibility, and he consistently voted to restrain spending.

Kohl strongly supported public education, social issues, environmental protections, and health care reforms. His final term marked a strong push for President Barack Obama’s health care reforms and expansion of Medicare and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Kohl sold the Milwaukee Bucks in 2014 to Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens for $550 million, insisting the team remain in Milwaukee. He contributed $10 million in bonuses to every member of the Bucks organization and every worker at the team’s arena. A lifelong Milwaukee resident, he gave $25 million to the University of Wisconsin for the construction of the Kohl Center. He also founded an educational foundation that provides grants to Wisconsin high school graduates and teachers each year.

In 2021, the Bucks ended decades of drought by winning the NBA championship. The team presented Kohl with a championship ring for his efforts to keep the team in Milwaukee, symbolizing his deep affection for the city.