Beny Alagem

Beny Alagem was born in Israel. He was a tank driver. Alagem studied at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona where he met fellow Israeli immigrants Jason Barzilay and Alex Sandel. In 1983, Alagem would partner up with Sandel and Barzilay to start Cal-Abco, a wholesaler of computer parts. In 1986, all three then invested into creating Packard Bell. As of 1995, Cal-Abco was still intact and was listed in the Packard Bell prospectus as a supplier of parts to Packard Bell with a shared credit line between the two companies. ==Career==

Alagem founded Packard Bell, a personal computer manufacturer, in 1986. He served as its chief executive and president until 1998, when he resigned after he disagreed with NEC and Groupe Bull, the two other main shareholders. Alagem serves as the chairman of the Alagem Capital Group, an asset management firm headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In December 2003, Alagem purchased the Beverly Hilton Hotel from entertainer Merv Griffin for US$130 million through Oasis West Realty LLC, where he serves as chief executive officer. He proceeded to renovate it for an extra US$90 million. it is adjacent to the Beverly Hilton Hotel. ==Philanthropy==

Alagem was appointed an honorary ambassador of the City of Tel Aviv in 1995. He serves as an honorary member of the board of directors of the Israeli-American Council (IAC). For example, he underwrote the entire cost of the Council Leadership Gala on March 11, 2012. He also serves on the advisory board of the American Friends of The Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel, a non-profit organization headquartered in Beverly Hills which promotes peace in Israel through research and education. In 2004, Alagem held a fundraiser for the March of the Living, a non-profit organization which annual funds trips for 18,000 students to see the horror of the Auschwitz concentration camp, followed by trip to Israel on Independence Day. The event, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and was attended by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Israeli ministers Ehud Olmert and Avraham Hirschenson, raised US$1 million. It raised US$5.2 million for the Israel Defense Forces. Alagem was the recipient of the Philanthropic Leadership Award from the board of governors of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 2016. ==Personal life==

Alagem has a wife, Adele. They reside in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California. == See also ==