Legacy Builder: Harold Bend
When Harold Bend passed away in 1974 at the age of 103, he left behind a legacy that reverberates still today - the largest unrestricted bequest ever made to The Saint Paul Foundation.
Born in New York in 1870, Harold moved to Saint Paul with his family at age seven. As a young man, he helped found the Saint Paul-based sugar brokerage firm of Earl-Bend (later called Bend, Southall-Sleepack) and remained there for 70 years.
However, Harold made his fortune not from the sugar business but as an early investor in 3M. He loaned $5,000 to 3M sometime before World War I and was repaid in stock. During the course of his long life, Harold's 3M stock split 192 times.
Harold and his wife Glen had no children so, after leaving bequests to her and to others close to him, he decided to donate the remainder of his estate to the Foundation.
Because of the way the Foundation has invested his original $32 million gift, the Glen and Harold Bend Foundation has given out almost twice as much as the original gift was worth. These grants to the community cover a wide spectrum - from offering new audiences the opportunity to see quality productions at Penumbra Theatre to allowing more young children at the Boys and Girls Club to attend character-building programs like summer camp.
While Harold could not have predicted how the world would change, his gift will help future generations respond to their concerns in the most meaningful way.
Learn more about becoming a Legacy Builder.
Photo: Harold is pictured as a member of the Saint Paul Boat Club in 1895.