as the subsequent formation of WEA Corporation and WEA International. Recognized as an industry titan, he served as chairman of the Recording Industry Association of America for a two-year term. He left Warner acrimoniously in 1994 after they requested that he slash his payroll, turning down their offer of a three-year extension. He described the situation as "the toughest thing I've ever been through in the business", adding that "it shook [him] to the core". After departing Warner Bros., Ostin went on to join the music division of the entertainment conglomerate DreamWorks SKG in October 1995. In 2003, Ostin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Paul Simon, Neil Young, and Lorne Michaels. Three years later, he received The Recording Academy President's Merit Award at the 2006 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons. Philanthropy A graduate of UCLA, Ostin and his wife Evelyn donated $10 million and played a critical role in establishing the university's Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center, a state-of-the-art campus music facility. In March 2015, Ostin donated $10 million to UCLA for the Mo Ostin Basketball Center, a state-of-the-art training facility, which was opened in October 2017 and named in his honor. He also sat on the board of visitors for the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture and the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and supported the UCLA Center for the Art of Performance. Personal life Ostin was married to Evelyn for 55 years until her death in 2005. Together, they had three children, Randy, Kenny, and Michael Ostin. All three worked as Warner executives. Both Kenny and Randy predeceased him in 2004 and 2013, respectively. Ostin died in his sleep on July 31, 2022, at the age of 95. References External links Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum: Hall of Fame: Mo Ostin 1927 births 2022 deaths Jewish American philanthropists American music industry executives American people of Russian-Jewish descent Fairfax High School (Los Angeles) alumni 21st-century American Jews People from New York City