Hilton family patriarch Barron Hilton, who expanded his father's chain and became a founding owner in the American Football League lived a long life and died peacefully at age 91. Even after his death, the magnate continues to do great things for the world.
Steven Hilton, the foundation's head as well as one of Barron's six sons and an uncle to Paris Hilton, announced that Barron Hilton would give 97 percent of his $2.3 billion ($1.57 billion) net worth to the Conrad N Hilton Foundation, the charitable organization named after the dynasty's founder.
"Speaking for the family as well as the foundation, we are all exceedingly proud and grateful for this extraordinary commitment,"
Hotelier Conrad Hilton, Barron’s father, and Steven’s grandfather established the charity in 1944 and left nearly all his fortune to the organization when he died in 1979.
The charity has distributed $560 million over more than six decades for programs to aid the blind, house mentally ill individuals, prevent substance abuse and increase access to safe water in Africa and Mexico. A significant portion of the money goes to the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters; more than half the foundation’s grants go to international projects.
“Working to alleviate human suffering around the globe, regardless of race, religion or geography, is the mandate of the foundation set by my grandfather, Conrad Hilton, and now reinforced by my father, Barron Hilton.”
Interestingly, Barron wasn't interested in the hotel business when he was young, and when his father refused to pay him $,1,000 a month for working at the company the man decided to start his own life and business.
The young Barron left and didn’t come back until more than a decade later, by which time he was a millionaire.
He started by peddling orange juice products with several partners in Southern California but soon bought them out and had the distributorship to himself. He co-founded an oil company, then started one of the first aircraft-leasing businesses in the country.
But in 1951, when he returned to Hilton Hotels, he began in the operations department, at the bottom of the corporate ladder and managed to reach a higher position only after proving what a great businessman he was.
Barron Hilton was survived by his eight children, 15 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. And although he left only 3% of his fortune to them, it's unlikely they will ever have any problems with money, considering how successful they all are!
Moreover, Barron's relatives should be proud of him as he did many great things during his life! We believe his fortune will help many people in the future.