Democratic California Senator Dianne Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum, passed away at 86 after a long bout with cancer Sunday evening.
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Blum was a longtime financial investor and advocate for human rights in Tibet. He served as chairman of Blum Capital Partners, an equity investment management firm, for most of his career, but also dedicated his life to fighting against human trafficking and other human rights violations in the Himalayas.
"My heart is broken today. My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years. He was by my side for the good times and for the challenges," Feinstein wrote in a statement issued Monday. "I am going to miss him terribly."
Blum founded the American Himalayan Foundation, which focused on helping bring much-needed services and resources to the area while also celebrating its historic culture, creating a longtime friendship with the Dalai Lama. Blum was made an honorary consul of Nepal.
"As a role model, Dick was second to none, and I think his compassion and devotion to the people of the Himalayan region may prove to be his most enduring legacy. His friendship with the Dalai Lama helped shape us, and his creation of the American Himalayan Foundation was one of his proudest achievements," wrote Feinstein.
Blum also served as a member of the University of California Board of Regents and was chairman emeritus of the board for almost two decades, and founded the Blum Center for Developing Economies at the University of California, Berkeley, which worked to educate students on global poverty.
Blum did come under scrutiny in the UC admissions scandal in 2020, with some accusing him of helping pull strings for the children of his friends or family, as previously reported by KCBS Radio.
Blum was singled out on the California State Auditor's report on admissions, but he insisted that he didn't realize it was against the rules and vowed not to do it again.
Among his other responsibilities, he also served as co-chairman of the World Conference on Religion and Peace; was a founding member of National Geographic’s International Council of Advisors; was a trustee of the executive committee of The Carter Center; and sat on several boards including the World Wildlife Fund, the Wilderness Society, the Brookings Institution, the California Academy of Sciences and the Glide Foundation.
"We have a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. Dick, we love you, we'll miss you and we'll continue to celebrate everything you accomplished during an amazing life," Feinstein wrote.
In addition to Senator Feinstein, Richard Blum is survived by his brother Robert; daughters Annette, Heidi and Eileen; stepdaughter Katherine and her husband Rick Mariano; and grandchildren Mitchell and Spencer Riley, Lea, Tristan, Julien and Benjamin Bourgade, and Eileen Mariano.
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