ACCOUNTING LEGEND KENNETH LEVENTHAL PASSES AWAY AT 91

LOS ANGELES — Kenneth Leventhal, a certified public accountant and entrepreneur who founded and built what would eventually become the largest CPA firm in the United States specializing in real estate, died May 8. He was 91 years old. In 1949, he founded Kenneth Leventhal & Co. with his wife, Elaine. The company merged with Ernst & Young in 1995. At the time of the merger, the Leventhal firm was recognized as the leading CPA firm in real estate with nearly $200 million in revenues. During the course of his life, he became as much of a philanthropist as he was a businessman. He led a fund-raising drive for the University of Southern California, which raised more than $2.85 billion when it concluded in 2003. The campaign was the most successful fund-raising effort in higher education. Mr. Leventhal is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elaine Otter, his sons Robert and Ross (Mary Jo), granddaughter Emma, brother Henley, and a niece and nephews.