As one of the most talked-about figures, Herb Kohl has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What was Herb Kohl's Net Worth?

In 1985, Kohl became involved in sports team ownership when he bought the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks from Jim Fitzgerald for $18 million. As a Milwaukee native, he did this to prevent the team from leaving the city. Kohl continued to ensure the Bucks would remain in Milwaukee when he sold the team to billionaire businessmenWes EdensandMarc Lasryfor $550 million in 2014. Under Kohl's ownership, the Bucks cycled through six head coaches and never reached the NBA Finals.

Herb Kohl was born on February 7, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Mary and Max, both Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. As an adolescent, he attended Washington High School. Kohl went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, from which he earned his BS degree in 1956. He subsequently went to Harvard Business School, obtaining his MBA in 1958.

Kohl became active in Wisconsin state politics in the 1970s, first as a major donor and fundraiser for Democrat Patrick Lucey, who was elected the state's governor in 1970. In 1975, Kohl was named chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, succeeding Bill Gerrard. He had a brief but highly successful tenure as chairman, leading the Democratic Party to historic victories in the 1976 election by reaching a supermajority in both legislative chambers. Moreover, the Party gave its electoral votes to the Democratic presidential candidate for the first time in over a decade. Kohl stepped down as chairman in mid-1977.

After graduating from Harvard Business School, Kohl invested in real estate and the stock market. To manage his assets, he established his own company called Kohl Investments. Later, in 1970, Kohl became president of his family's Kohl's Corporation, which owned the Kohl's department stores, grocery shops, and pharmacies. He headed the company until it was sold to BATUS in 1979.

Herb Kohl (MANDEL NGAN / AFP / Getty)

In 1988, Kohl ran for the US Senate seat being vacated by incumbent William Proxmire from Wisconsin. After winning the Democratic primary, he beat Republican Susan Engeleiter in the general election. Kohl won reelection against Robert Welch in 1994. He was reelected again in 2000 by defeating John Gillespie, and for a third time by beating Robert Lorge in 2006. In the spring of 2011, Kohl announced that he would not be running for reelection in 2012, saying that he didn't want to remain in office too long and that the office should belong "to the people of Wisconsin."

Herb Kohl was an American businessman and politician who had a net worth of $400 million at the time of his death. Not to be confused withHerbert Kohler Jr., another late legendary Wisconsinite who earned his fortune as the heir to the Kohler faucet fortune. Herb Kohl was the heir to the Kohl's Corporation. From 1970 to 1979, Herb served as president of Kohl's, and from 1985 to 2014, he was the owner of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. As a politician, Kohl chaired the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from 1975 to 1977 and served as a US senator from Wisconsin from 1989 to 2013.

In summary, the total wealth of Herb Kohl reflects strategic moves.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.