Stroum Philanthropy Legacy

Proctor Landing Tudor on the left and Harmony on the right

Marsha Stroum Sloan and Jay Glazer’s Mercer Island waterfront family compound (Lake Washington 130 Homes page 58), “Harmony,” is for sale for $26.9 million (3/20/11 post). It is next to the landmark “Proctor Landing Tudor” that sold in 2009 for $15.7 million (2/16/10 post). Marsha is the daughter of the late Sam and Althea Stroum. Her sister is Cynthia Stroum (3/21/11 post). Sam and Althea Stroum were prominent area philanthropists. Sam and Marsha’s former husband, Stuart Sloan (page 34, LW 130 Homes), were former co-owners of Schuck’s Auto Supply. Marsha and Jay have moved to Santa Barbara where there is a new Stroum family compound.

Marsha’s and Cynthia’s mother, Althea, recently (March 14, 2011) passed away (Seattle Times obituary) and their father, Sam, passed away March 9, 2001 (Seattle Times editorial). The Stroum name is on many prominent arts, medical, education and community buildings and halls in the Seattle area. Benaroya Hall, University of Washington, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center and the Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle on Mercer Island are most notable. In 1991 the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle established the Althea Stroum Woman of Distinction Award.

Obama Stroum Connection

A February 4, 2011, a Seattle Times and Associated Press article reported “Big Obama donor Cynthia Stroum quits envoy job [America's ambassador to Luxembourg] amid criticism.” The article starts: “As a supporter of presidential candidate Barack Obama, Cynthia Stroum was a superstar whose financial backing of the campaign landed her a plum diplomatic posting in Europe.” The article reported she was a “disaster . . . management . . . was abysmal . . . fraught with personality conflicts, verbal abuse and questionable expenditures on travel, wine and liquor.” The article strongly implies her appointment was a political reward.

The Puget Sound Business Journal reported on February 7, 2011, Cynthia had filed a rebuttal to the State Department report. She told the Associated Press she did not know whether she could release details of the rebuttal publicly.

The Stroum family has generously contributed to Democratic candidates. Cynthia donated the maximum personal amount to Obama's campaign and previously donated $2,300 to former Sen. John Edwards’ presidential campaign. She was one of the top Obama fund raisers, being responsible for raising at least $500,000 for the 2008 campaign. Some of the fund raisers were held at the Mercer Island compound (Lake Washington 130 Homes page 58) of Cynthia’s sister, Marsha Stroum Sloan Glazer. The compound is listed for sale for $26.9 million (3/20/11 post).