Milt Kantor, local businessman, philanthropist, dead at 85

Milt Kantor, local businessman, philanthropist and sports team owner, died Dec. 23 in Cincinnati. He was 85.

In 1978, Mr. Kantor, the son of a grocery man who operated his own stores, hit upon an idea for a wholesale operation that moved unsold products from one store to another coast-to-coast. He founded Victory Wholesale Grocers, based in Springboro.

He also helped found Victory Against Hunger – a group of 30 food banks across the country, and the Kantor Brothers Scholarship Fund, which sponsors 30 college scholarships for Dayton area students.

Mr. Kanter also was a patron of the University of Dayton — especially its athletic teams — and the Hipple Cancer Research Center, which became the Cancer Prevention Institute.

A few years ago, Mr. Kantor was honored by the Dayton chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice.

Mr. Kantor also was proud to have won what he called Dayton’s only world championship, in the long-gone World Basketball League.

Mr. Kantor owned the Dayton Wings. The Wings won the championship with a three-game playoff sweep of Calgary in 1991, finishing with a 36-15 record.

In 1992, his team was 26-7 and declared a champion the second time when the league went under before the playoffs.

Mr. Kantor’s birthday this summer was met with dual honors. His name was added to the Wright-Dunbar Walk of Fame in Dayton and he was feted at a dinner for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, one of his many philanthropic recipients.

Mr. Kantor and wife Marlene moved to Cincinnati a few years ago. Son David lives in Boca Raton, Fla., while son Richard and daughter Ellen live in Cincinnati. He had nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Mr. Kantor was buried in Cincinnati. Contributions can be made to Cincinnati’s Wise Temple, Victory Against Hunger or Hospice of Cincinnati.

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