Wesley M. LePatner, a newly elected trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was among four people killed by a gunman in a Midtown office building on Monday. LePatner was a senior managing director at Blackstone, where she served as global head of its Core+ Real Estate division and CEO of the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. She had just been elected to the Met’s board in February and was previously a member of the Met’s Friends of European Paintings group.
LePatner’s death is a significant loss for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which had just welcomed her to its board, with leaders praising her expertise and commitment. The tragedy highlights the intersection of the art world and broader societal violence, as a prominent museum trustee and high-ranking finance executive was killed in a workplace shooting. Her family and the museum community are mourning the loss of a dedicated professional and philanthropist.