Palm Springs, Calif. — Harold Matzner, the celebrated philanthropist, business innovator, and cultural architect who transformed Palm Springs into a world-class destination for arts and civic life, died on September 4, 2025, in Palm Springs after a brief illness. He was 88. Widely known as “Mr. Palm Springs,” Matzner was more than a benefactor — he was a builder, strategist, and force of nature whose generosity and vision reshaped the Coachella Valley. Over nearly four decades, he donated more than $85 million to local nonprofits, championed healthcare, education, and the arts, and elevated the Palm Springs International Film Festival into a premier stop on Hollywood’s awards circuit. 

From Humble Beginnings to Business Success 
Born in Newark, N.J., on July 4, 1937, Matzner grew up in a modest household during the Great Depression. From delivering newspapers and selling seeds door-to-door as a child to assisting at his father’s printing shop, he learned resilience and responsibility early. Undiagnosed dyslexia made academics difficult, but it never dimmed his entrepreneurial spirit. 

After a brief stint in sports journalism — including covering the Brooklyn Dodgers, who became his lifelong team — Matzner turned to marketing. He pioneered targeted shared mail, founding CBA Industries, a groundbreaking direct-mail advertising firm in New Jersey and New York that remains a national leader delivering millions of ShopRite Supermarket advertising circulars weekly, and billions more for various advertisers throughout the year. Matzner remained active as its CEO into his 80s. 

Palm Springs’ Cultural Champion 
Matzner discovered Palm Springs in 1985 and soon made it his focus. Nowhere was his influence felt more profoundly than in the city’s arts and culture. In 1999, he stepped in to rescue the Palm Springs International Film Festival from near collapse. As chairman for more than two decades, he donated more than $12 million of his own funds, built the Palm Springs International Film Awards into a glittering Hollywood launchpad, which generates billions of media impressions worldwide each year, and cemented the festival’s reputation as one of the world’s great showcases for cinema. 

Under his leadership, the Film Awards stage welcomed an extraordinary roster of stars, from Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, and Denzel Washington to Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, and Timothée Chalamet. The annual gala became a reliable bellwether of Oscar success and a source of immense pride for the region. 

Philanthropy as Purpose 
Matzner’s philanthropy was both sweeping and personal, after he fell in love with tennis and the Palm Springs Tennis Club. When he joined the club in 1997, it had only 44 members. After becoming the Tennis Club Chairman and turning it into an inclusive experience for everyone, there are almost 500 members today. He also turned its lunchroom into Spencer’s at the Mountain, named after his beloved 110-pound Siberian husky, and it’s still one of the city’s hottest restaurants. He took no salary from this endeavor instead directing all profits to charity. 

Over the years, his giving benefited dozens of organizations, including Eisenhower Health, DAP Health, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, the McCallum Theatre, the Palm Springs Art Museum, FIND Food Bank, Jewish Family Services of the Desert, the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, and Equality California. 

His contributions were not limited to writing checks. Matzner was known for his tireless service on nonprofit boards, his insistence on accountability, and his gift for rallying others to join him in giving. His recognizable “uniform” of black shirt, colorful tie, and white sneakers made him a fixture at civic events and fundraisers, where he combined warmth, humor, and formidable leadership. 

Honors and Recognition 
Matzner’s impact was recognized with a litany of honors, including the Horatio Alger Award, the Richard M. Milanovich Humanitarian Award, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Philanthropist of the Year Award. In 2017, the General Patton Memorial Museum dedicated the Matzner Tank Pavilion in his honor, and the McCallum Theatre celebrated his decade of service as chairman with a rare distinction for gifts exceeding $5 million. His star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars lies at the base of the Sonny Bono statue, honoring his close friend and the festival’s founder. 

A Private Yet Playful Spirit 
Despite his public persona, Matzner was deeply private. He often deflected attention from his own story, preferring to focus on the present and the future. Friends and family recall his mischievous humor — from elaborate pranks to spontaneous adventures — and his unwavering loyalty. 

He is survived by his partner for life Shellie Reade; his son Devin; his daughter Laura; grandchildren Elizabeth and Emily; nephew Jason; and his two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Little Guy and Doc. 
Matzner often said his joy came from “making magic for the people I love.” His mantra was simple: “Never give up. Always push forward.” His absence will be felt in boardrooms, ballrooms, and the countless lives touched by his generosity — many who never knew his name but live better because of him. 

Services will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the charity of your choice, in honor of Harold Matzner’s extraordinary spirit of giving.