Lowell Milken

Lowell Jay Milken (born November 29, 1948) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the co-founder and chairman of the <a href="/facts/Milken_Family_Foundation/egxeLUAf">Milken Family Foundation</a>. He is also the founder of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement as well as co-founder of <a href="/facts/Knowledge_Universe/tSNomtG2">Knowledge Universe</a>, the world's largest provider of early childhood education from 2005 until 2016. He is known for his advocacy and nonprofit leadership focused on K-12 American education reform. In 2017, he was the recipient of the James Bryant Conant Award for exceptional contributions to American Education. Lowell Milken has founded several more nonprofit organizations, including the Lowell Milken Family Foundation and the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. In 2000, he was named one of America's most generous philanthropists by <a href="/facts/Worth_(magazine)/CQVeswsv">Worth</a> magazine and has been listed for the past 7 years in the Los Angeles Business Journal's LA500 list of the most influential and impactful executives in Los Angeles.
Milken is a former senior vice-president in the <a href="/facts/High-yield_debt/ysDErDfb">High-yield debt</a> department for <a href="/facts/Drexel_Burnham_Lambert/0ST7jp7E">Drexel Burnham Lambert</a>, which was forced into bankruptcy in 1990, and was headed by his brother <a href="/facts/Michael_Milken/lJVGcpUA">Michael Milken</a>.
In 1985, he created the <a href="/facts/Milken_Educator_Award/cs54fGA4">Milken Educator Awards</a>, widely considered the preeminent teacher recognition program in the nation.

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Lowell Milken