The Manhattan Institute mourns the passing of longtime supporter and trustee Donald G. Tober.
Perhaps best known for his prodigious accomplishments in the world of food, Donald Tober made brands like Sweet’N Low and Sugar in the Raw into household names as CEO and co-owner of Sugar Foods Corporation. He worked tirelessly to promote and celebrate the food industry’s role in enriching American life and creating opportunity. Among other honors, he served as Chairman of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, Trustee Emeritus of the Culinary Institute of America, and board member of the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association.
Tober’s wide range of interests extended to other domains as well. A devoted New Yorker and philanthropist, Tober was a patron of many of the city’s leading arts and cultural organizations, including Lincoln Center, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the American Museum of Natural History. He was a board member of Citymeals on Wheels, which has served homebound elderly New Yorkers since 1981; the American Austrian Foundation, which provides fellowships for postgraduate education in medicine, media, and the arts; and the Center for Community Interest, which advocated for urban quality of life and safe streets.
Our hearts go out to Donald Tober’s wife, Barbara, and the community that he touched throughout his life. Though I had the pleasure of knowing him only for a short time, I was deeply impressed by his warm and self-effacing nature and the depth of his commitment to the city he loved. New York has lost one its most generous philanthropists.
Reihan Salam
President