Eugene Frenkel has been a Florida resident since he was 5 years old, and he fosters a deep love for his community: “It is a melting pot, but it also has its own culture, and that speaks volumes to how close of a community we are. We’re an amazing mix of everything that the world has to offer.” Philanthropy runs in the Frenkel family; the family created the Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation so that their generous impact could be generational and passed on to Eugene and his brother, Steven. Eugene, who graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in economics and earned his MBA from the University of Miami, is the Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Group and the Executive Director of his family’s foundation. On his charitable work and decision to support Mount Sinai Medical Center, Eugene says, “The level of health care is second to none, and it is built on the professionals there. The culture of patient care starts the moment someone walks through the door. There is a tremendous amount of thought, love, and hard work that goes into creating that.”

The Gift

In 2020, the Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation established the Finker-Frenkel Energy Center on the main Miami Beach campus. A consistent and reliable power source is a necessity for any medical center; ventilators, heart rate monitors, MRI machines, and other high-tech medical equipment all require electricity. Outside of direct medical care, Mount Sinai’s daily operations (such as security systems, fire alarms, and environmental controls) rely on the Finker-Frenkel Energy Center so the rigorous standard of care can continue to be met while maintaining safe and secure premises. In addition to the energy center, the foundation supported the Skolnick Surgical Tower, which opened in 2019. “It is incredible,” Eugene says. “The new facilities take the medical center into the future. Mount Sinai has some of the best talent in the world, and now it has some of the best infrastructure in the world.”

Motivating Mission

Eugene and his family believe that giving back is foundational to their role in the community, no matter what form it comes in. “Philanthropy has been in our family for generations. Back in Russia, when my family had very little, my grandmother would buy candy to give to the neighborhood children. My father, a PhD and a concert violinist, would perform for free for synagogues and churches, orphanages, and hospices before he had the ability to support financially. Philanthropy is just a natural part of who I am,” Eugene says. He and his family continue to be a positive presence in South Florida through their dedicated advocacy for comprehensive and compassionate health care through Mount Sinai and many other incredible causes.