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Matzner Among Top Sponsors at Aids Assistance Program’s Annual Evening Under the Stars Event

August 1, 2016May 17, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By DeAnn Lubell-Ames The AIDS Assistance Program’s 22nd annual Evening Under the Stars — voted as one of the best fundraising events in the Coachella …

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Categories Press Tags charity, harold matzner, palm springs, philanthropist

Harold Matzner Among Honorary Co-Chairs and Platinum Sponsors of Jewish Family Services Annual One Night Only Event

August 1, 2016May 3, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Betty Francis The name of this annual event could be “One Night Only — Sold Out” because that’s what the signs say every year, …

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Categories Press Tags charity, harold matzner, jfs, palm springs, philanthropist

Harold Matzner Gives Matching Donation To Purchase New Vans for Mizell Senior Center

August 1, 2016April 19, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Chris Foster The Mizell Senior Center’s 10th annual “Stars Among Us” gala was held at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Marilyn McCoo and Billy …

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Categories Press Tags charity, harold matzner, mizell, palm springs, philanthropist, vans

Tools for Tomorrow Honors Harold Matzner

August 1, 2016March 15, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Betty Francis Another charity honored philanthropist Harold Matzner this month which may not make them unique, but let me tell you about this charity. …

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Categories Press Tags harold matzner, palm springs, the desert sun, tools for tomorrow

Harold Matzner Among Major Contributors to the Ike Wing at Eisenhower Medical Center

August 1, 2016February 1, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Barbara Lowell There may have been a blizzard brewing back east this week, but here in the desert, an avalanche of financial support snowballed …

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Categories Press Tags charity, eisenhower medical center, harold matzner, philanthropist, the desert sun

Harold Matzner and Barbara Keller co-Chaired Israel Cancer Research Fundraiser in Palm Springs

August 1, 2016January 25, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Betty Francis This may be the most important report I will ever write for you. Please read it. After 19 years of society reporting …

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Categories Press Tags coachella valley, harold matzner, icrf, palm springs

PSIFF Chairman Harold Matzner Among Attendees at Variety’s 2015 Creative Impact Awards

August 1, 2016January 18, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By DeAnn Lubell-Ames It was a stellar day for the elite crowd of Hollywood royalty attending the Variety Creative Impact Awards brunch held at the …

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Categories Press Tags charity, harold matzner, israel cancer research fundraiser, palm springs, philanthropist

Harold Matzner Underwrites Willie Nelson performance at McCallum Theatre

August 1, 2016January 18, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Betty Francis The sold-out-with-a-waiting list crowd that filled the McCallum Theatre for last week’s Willie Nelson concert knew exactly what they wanted: The same …

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Categories Press Tags charity, harold matzner, mccallum theatre, philanthropist, willie nelson

PSIFF Board Chairman Harold Matzner Helps Underwrite 2015 Awards Gala

August 1, 2016January 11, 2015 by Harold Matzner

By Betty Francis I must thank Robert Duvall, who provided the theme for this report on the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala. When …

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Categories Press Tags harold matzner, palm springs, palm springs film fest, palm springs international film fest, psiff

Harold Matzner A Humble Showman

April 29, 2024January 8, 2011 by Harold Matzner

Written by Debra Gruszecki The Desert Sun A Sunday CEO profile from The Desert Sun’s Business Plus section 11:48 PM, Jan. 8, 2011   Harold Matzner: …

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Categories Press Tags desert sun, harold matzner, matzner, palm springs, psiff
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Harold Matzner
Entrepreneur, humanitarian, and philanthropist, Harold Matzner, has made his home in the desert for more than 30 years. The owner of Palm Spring’s popular Spencer’s Restaurant and CEO of a NY/NJ based branding, advertising and marketing company, Harold is credited with revitalizing the Palm Springs International Film Festival and founding the successful business concept of targeted “shared mail”.
In 2017, the year of his 80th birthday, Harold was one of the eleven men and women selected nationally by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans as a member and inducted by Judge Clarence Thomas in the courtroom of the United States Supreme Court. Harold was also honored with a special 24-standard page birthday section in the The Desert Sun and a two-part front page story in Palm Springs Life in the November and December editions. He was honored in November 2017 by the General Patton Memorial Museum with the dedication of the Matzner Tank Pavilion and three World War II operating tanks, and in the same month was honored by the McCallum Theatre for 10 years of service as Chairman and for being the first person to give the Theatre $5 million or more.
He also rescued and revived the world famous Palm Springs Tennis Club and turned its lunchroom into Spencer’s, one of the City’s hottest see-and-be-seen restaurants. Spencer’s is named after his beloved 110-pound Siberian husky. Mr. Matzner is in his 11th year as the Chairman of the Board of the McCallum Theatre, his 14th year as Chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and is the long-time Executive Vice Chairman of the Palm Springs Art Museum. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Eisenhower Medical Center and Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center. He also chairs several charity fundraising events each year.
He has received many awards from the charities that he supports. He has been honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the “Philanthropist of the Year”, and for the past six years he has served as Honorary Chair of the local National Philanthropy Day event. He has also been recognized by Gilda’s Club as the “Man of the Year”, by the McCallum Muses as “Man of the Year”, the City of Palm Springs with the “Richard M. Milanovich Community Service Award”, as “Angel of the Year” by Angel View Children’s Foundation, as “Businessperson of the Year” by the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Waring “Lifetime Achievement Award”, “Richard M. Milanovich Humanitarian Award” by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and by Desert Samaritan’s as “Samaritan of the Year”, and will be honored in May by the Coachella Valley Symphony, to name a few. Mr. Matzner has been a benefactor to many other non-profits, both here and on the East coast.
Mr. Matzner is one of the Palm Springs valley’s largest donors to philanthropy and has contributed more than $70 million to area non-profits since 2000. Among the many local charities benefiting from his philanthropic efforts are the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, AIDS Assistance Program, Desert Symphony, American Cancer Society, The Living Desert, Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, Coachella Valley Symphony, General Patton Memorial Museum, ACT for MS, College of the Desert, Eisenhower Medical Center, Desert AIDS Project, Desert Cancer Foundation, Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Jewish Family Services of the Desert, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), StandWithUs, Neuro Vitality Center, Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre, Temple Isaiah, Bighorn BAM (Behind a Miracle), Tools for Tomorrow, Palm Springs Air Museum, Mizell Senior Center, Well in the Desert, FIND Food Bank, Pegasus Riding Academy, LGBTQ The Center, Equality California, and the Human Rights Campaign.
He is credited with the key leadership role in creating Palm Springs’ Measure J (a 1% sales tax increase that has helped to fund a $200 million downtown revitalization program, while providing an additional surplus of $12 million per year to rebuild the city’s infrastructure). He is a community activist. He earns no money from any of his activities in Palm Springs, including his restaurant, Spencer’s.
Mr. Matzner’s star is located at the foot of his friend Sonny Bono’s statue in the heart of Palm Springs.

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Harold Matzner

In 2017, the year of his 80th birthday, Harold was one of the eleven men and women selected nationally by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans as a member and inducted by Judge Clarence Thomas.

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Recent Posts

  • A statement from the family of Harold Matzner September 10, 2025
  • Harold Matzner, Legendary Desert Philanthropist and Business Visionary, Dies at 88 in Palm Springs September 5, 2025
  • Spencer’s Restaurant Honored in Palm Springs Life’s Best of the Best Competition For The Third Year In A Row August 8, 2025
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