Charles (Chuck) Howard Boxenbaum, real estate and banking executive and philanthropist, died Sept. 21 of natural causes. He was 87.
Born June 13, 1929, in New York City to Ziskind and Lillian (nee Katz) Boxenbaum, he attended schools in New York, including the Bronx High School of Science, and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1949. After graduation, he lived on a kibbutz in the newly formed State of Israel, where he became a founding member of Kibbutz Gesher Haziv in the Western Galilee. After returning to the U.S., Boxenbaum served in the Korean War, then in 1959 moved to California, where he began his career in real estate. Not long after getting his first job as a real estate agent, Boxenbaum moved on to commercial real estate and eventually to syndication. In 1966, he founded the mortgage brokerage and banking firm National Partnership Investment Corp. (NAPICO), which eventually managed some 67,000 housing units. In 1974, he became one of the founders, and served as director of, First Los Angeles Bank (now City National Bank).
An active participant in and generous donor to various Jewish community organizations, Boxenbaum served as chairman of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ 1989 and 1990 annual campaigns. Along with his wife Kharlene, he has supported the Jewish Community Foundation (serving on the board of trustees and advisory board), Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences, and Aish Los Angeles, among others.
In 2002, Chuck, Kharlene and son Scott became the benefactors of the Boxenbaum Aish L.A. Jewish Educational Outreach Center in Los Angeles; the building is Aish L.A.’s flagship that anchors its educational activities throughout Southern California.
Boxenbaum is survived by his wife, Kharlene; son Scott; and brother Lewis. He was predeceased by his son Peter.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 23 at Hillside Memorial Park, 6001 W. Centinela Ave., Los Angeles.
