Our Haute 100 list details the accomplishments of the most influential people in each of our markets—Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These people continue to make moves, so rather than waiting for the next Haute 100 issue to come out, we thought we’d provide you with regular updates on those Haute 100 members who are making headlines. Check back daily for more info on the most powerful people in your city. Today, real estate mogul Donald Bren is continuing his lifetime-legacy of philanthropy by donating thousands of acres to Orange County.

Donald Bren

Category: Billionaires

Industry: Real Estate

Company: Irvine Co.

What Made Him Haute: The chairman of the Irvine Co., one of the most respected and diversified privately held real estate companies in the United States, is not only one of the richest men in Orange County, but one of the most generous with a lifetime giving total of more than $1.3 billion. In 2009 The Forbes 400 Richest Americans ranked him No. 16 with an estimated fortune of $12 billion.

What Makes Him Haute Now: Donald Bren has just completed the final transfer of land to Orange County, a 20,000-acre parcel of the original Irvine Ranch. This “pristine landscape of steep canyons, native grassland and sycamore woodland” gives Orange County more than 50,000 acres that can be used for parks, greenways,  recreational and wilderness preserve areas.