Lied Foundation Trust

The Lied Foundation Trust was established in 1972 by Ernst F. Lied. Prior to his passing in 1980, Ernst named his associate Christina M. Hixson as the sole trustee of the trust. In alignment with Ernst’s wishes and his desire to help where the need is greatest, the Lied Foundation Trust has donated more than $297.5 million for small and major projects in Nevada, California, Utah, Washington, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska.

At UNLV, Christina’s philanthropic involvement through the Lied Foundation Trust has been instrumental in advancing the academic experience for thousands of students. The donation of more than $15 million to fund the Lied Library on the UNLV campus enabled the university, in collaboration with the State of Nevada, to construct an award-winning, state-of-the-art facility which offers a collection of more than one million volumes.

This spirit of generosity is also evident in the Lied Center for Real Estate (formerly the Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies) at UNLV, which supports professional research and scholarship. Additionally, major contributions to UNLV Athletics, including the Lied Athletic Complex, the Ernst F. Lied Golf Scholarship, and support for the baseball program, have propelled UNLV to stand at par with the best universities in the nation.

As demonstrated in her strategic philanthropic decisions and spirit of giving, Christina is dedicated to fulfilling Ernst’s wishes and to utilizing the rewards of his investments in ways that will honor him for generations to come.

In 2009, The Lied Foundation Trust was honored as a Diamond member of the Palladium Society, or a donor who has contributed a cumulative of $10 million or more to UNLV.