Sacramento has lost one of its most generous quiet giants. Ernest E. Tschannen, a longtime real estate investor and philanthropist, died at 101, Sacramento State announced Monday. Over the years, he gave tens of millions of dollars to local institutions, and the results stand in plain sight across the region.
At Sac State, the Tschannen Science Complex has been a campus landmark since it opened in 2019, designed so that science is visible and shared. A $15 million gift from Tschannen will also fund a new engineering building that will bear his name. Across town, his $38.5 million donation to UC Davis Health created the Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute Building, expanding eye care for patients throughout the region.
Sac State President Luke Wood said Tschannen’s trust in the university will have a lasting impact. For a city full of newer arrivals and constant growth, his story is a reminder that Sacramento’s institutions were built by people who chose to invest in the place they called home. What local cause would you want to support if you had the means? Let us know in the comments.
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Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
