Leonard Krasnow

Leonard R. "Lenny" Krasnow served for many years as President of the M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation, a Dallas-based private charitable foundation, and is now retired from that role. He was succeeded as President by Emily Hargrove in early 2023; the foundation's 2023 IRS filing still lists Krasnow as President (compensation ~$33,652), reflecting a transition year. His professional background is as a CPA and attorney active in the Dallas Jewish philanthropic community, where he has appeared as a professional-advisor resource (e.g., Dallas Jewish Community Foundation Professional Advisors Seminars) and lay leader.

The M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation was established in 1953 by M.B. Zale — founder of the Zale Corporation jewelry chain (started 1924; the family has not been associated with the company since 1986) — and his wife Edna. The foundation is explicitly separate from Zale Corporation and today is a substantial grantmaker: recent filings show total assets of roughly $37.5 million, annual revenues around $5.1 million, and annual grantmaking approaching (and in some years exceeding) $1–1.8 million, run by a very small staff. Its stated purpose is "supporting individuals and families as they build productive and meaningful lives," rooted in the values of Jewish identity, heritage, and *Tikkun Olam* ("repair the world").

Important accuracy note: The stub data describing Leonard Krasnow as an "Angel Investor" making "Seed Round" investments appears to be a mislabeling by an investor-database aggregator. Nothing in the public record supports the claim that he is an angel/venture investor. He is, verifiably, a retired philanthropic foundation president who directs charitable grants — not equity checks into startups. The sections below are framed around what can actually be verified; where the requested template assumes venture activity, the closest accurate analog (charitable grantmaking) is used and clearly labeled.

• Operates as a grantmaker, not an equity investor — deploys philanthropic capital to nonprofits, not seed checks to founders.
• Funds four core areas: education, health, human services, and Jewish heritage/continuity.
• Concentrated geographically in Dallas, El Paso and Rural East Texas; Palm Beach County, FL; and the greater New York City area.
• Grants typically range from the low five figures into six figures per organization.
• Foundation philosophy echoes founder M.B. Zale's stated belief: *"there are many people not quite as lucky, who need help…many families who find it hard or impossible to give their children a chance in life."*
• Sourcing is largely proactive/outreach-driven — "most organizations are identified through the foundation's outreach," with only brief inquiries welcomed from closely aligned nonprofits (and the foundation has at times been closed to unsolicited applications during strategic planning).