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    executivedonor

    T. Denny Sanford

    Founder of First Premier Bank; died July 18, 2026

    Founder, First Premier Bank · Former chairman and chief executive officer, United National

    Background

    T. Denny Sanford was an American businessman and philanthropist.

    He founded First Premier Bank in Sioux Falls.

    In 2007 he gave $400 million to Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System, which was renamed Sanford Health.

    Key facts

    Born
    December 23, 1935, in Saint Paul, Minnesotasource
    Died
    July 18, 2026, aged 90source
    Business
    Founder of First Premier Banksource
    2007 gift
    $400 million gift announced February 3, 2007source
    Lifetime giving
    exceeded $4 billion, according to Sanford Healthsource

    WYDE coverage of T. Denny Sanford

    WYDE Newsroom has published 2 articles about T. Denny Sanford, from Jul 24, 2026 to Jul 25, 2026. T. Denny Sanford is the subject of 2 stories. The most recent is Global hunger fell to 645 million, lawmakers introduced an AI kill switch, and a judge approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement. Over 60,000 meals..

    WYDE Weekly

    Global hunger fell to 645 million, lawmakers introduced an AI kill switch, and a judge approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement. Over 60,000 meals.

    WYDE Weekly: the UN's third straight drop in global hunger to 645 million, the AI Kill Switch and FRONTIER oversight bills, a judge's approval of Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement, a record 55,362 schools serving free meals, and a GAO finding of up to $521 billion in yearly federal fraud.

    Jul 25, 2026 · 7 min read · Subject of the story

    Healthcare

    T. Denny Sanford, Who Gave Away More Than $4 Billion, Dies at 90

    T. Denny Sanford, the First Premier Bank billionaire who said he wanted to die broke and gave more than $4 billion to health care, children's causes, and research, has died at 90, leaving a debate about the give-it-all-away model of philanthropy.

    Jul 24, 2026 · 2 min read · Subject of the story

    Reported alongside T. Denny Sanford

    Sources

    Follow the money in philanthropy.

    Who gives, who receives, and what it funds. Every week.