Philanthropists JEFFREY and HARRIET LEGUM have generously supported the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Johns Hopkins Department of Athletics, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Peabody Institute, School of Medicine, Sheridan Libraries, Whiting School of Engineering, Wilmer Eye Institute, A Woman’s Journey, and the departments of medicine, surgery, neurology, nursing, pathology and psychiatry.
Jeffrey Legum is chair of the Legum Foundation and the chief executive officer of the Park Circle Company, an investment holding company. He was formerly the chief executive officer of the Westminster Motor Company, Park Circle Chevrolet and Legum Chevrolet-Nissan, which was the largest car and truck dealership in Maryland. Legum was born in Baltimore in 1941. He is a 1959 graduate of the Park School of Baltimore and a 1963 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, where he first developed a passion for investing. Upon graduation Legum joined the Park Circle Motor Company, a Chevrolet dealership founded in 1921 by his grandfather, and subsequently operated by his father. In 1967, at age of 25, Legum assumed the role of dealer, operator and owner of Park Circle Motors, becoming the youngest dealer in the country. In 1977, Park Circle moved to the Beltway and Eastern Avenue and became Legum Chevrolet. In 1981, the dealership added a Nissan franchise and was renamed Legum Chevrolet-Nissan. In 1989, Legum Chevrolet-Nissan was sold to Bob Bell and in 1997 Westminster Motors- Chevrolet -Oldsmobile -Cadillac was sold to Len Stoler, ending the Legum family’s 76 years in the automobile business. In 1990, Legum began his first association with Johns Hopkins as a lay member of the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects Research at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Legum has been a member of the Wilmer Eye Institute’s Board of Governors for 25 years. After serving 17 years on the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins Medicine, he became an emeritus trustee and continues to serve on the finance committee. Long an avid supporter of the Baltimore Museum of Art, Legum is currently an honorary trustee after serving 20 years on the board. He also served as treasurer, comptroller, and secretary as well as chair of the investment and art accessions committees. In 1997, Legum and his wife Harriet co-chaired “The Grand Affair” at the BMA celebrating an exhibition from the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 2001 they co-chaired the gala celebrating the reopening of the Cone Collection. Considerable time has been devoted to Legum’s former alma mater, the Park School of Baltimore. He served as both board member and chairman of the investment committee for 15 years, a member of the executive committee for 10 years and as treasurer for 10 years.
In his spare time, Legum enjoys collecting Bordeaux wine, adding to his cache of American stamps, and exploring auction catalogs for fine works of 19th century American art, as well as playing with his four year old grandson who affectionately calls him “Pop.”
Harriet Legum’s personal crusade began more than 25 years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After she was successfully treated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, her illness became a catalyst that would affect her life and change lives in the community. Using her newfound voice, she became a powerful advocate for breast cancer research and education. As the chair of the Johns Hopkins Oncology Breast Cancer Research Chair and Fellowship campaign, she raised $2.1 million, endowing the first chair and fellowship of its type in the country. Later, Harriet chaired a fundraising event for the Johns Hopkins Breast Center. Harriet’s developing interest in women’s health issues helped spur the creation of A Woman’s Journey, co-founded with Mollye Block. The annual multidisciplinary educational program features Johns Hopkins faculty who address a variety of women’s health topics. The program, which began in 1995, is open to the public and attracts nearly 1,000 women each year.
From 2004 to 2010, Harriet served as a member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine board of advisors and a member of the Oncology Advisory Committee. Harriet has served as a board member of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and was a founding member of the Race for the Cure in Baltimore, and the Kennedy Krieger Institute, where she served on its board of trustees. She also assisted in the creation of a revolutionary music therapy program for children at the Kennedy Krieger School, and in 2000, Harriet chaired the Festival of Trees for Kennedy Krieger. Utilizing her childhood education degree, Harriet also worked to educate youth and spread awareness about breast cancer as a volunteer speaker for Hadassah’s Check It Out school program for young women. She touched the lives of children at Sinai Hospital, where she ran an educational program for first grade students to familiarize them with hospitals. Harriet served as chair of the Baltimore Crabtown Auction to benefit Baltimore City Public Schools. Harriet has been honored in “Portraits of Hope,” a photographic exhibition sponsored by the American Cancer Society. The society also honored her during the award ceremony With One Voice, which recognized her commitment to the fight against breast cancer. Baltimore magazine has honored her for her commitment to helping others and named her one of Baltimore’s Most Powerful Women in 1997. The Rotary Club of Woodlawn Westview honored her with the Community Volunteer of the Year Award in recognition of her exceptional dedication and commitment to the community. QVC honored Harriet in a video for a Fashion Footwear Association New York event that raises funds for breast cancer research. In 2009, Harriet was named to the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. Harriet continues to serve as a resource for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, offering support and personal insight into treating and surviving disease.
