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A Utah venture capitalist and philanthropist will be overseeing the board of directors of Salt Lake City's art-and-technology museum, The Leonardo.
Dinesh Patel has been elected chairman of The Leonardo's board of directors, the museum announced Tuesday.
Alexandra Hesse, executive director of The Leonardo, said in a statement that Patel "has been a significant contributor to The Leonardo since its earliest days and we are thrilled he will be leading our Board. … As one of Salt Lake City's leading citizens Dinesh will be instrumental in helping us reach the next phase of growth."
Patel, in a statement, said, "The Leonardo is committed to delivering a hands-on, inspiring, educational and relevant visit experience for guests of all ages. It is near and dear to my heart as the museum embodies all that's special about this community."
Patel is partner emeritus of Signal Peak Ventures, formerly vSpring Capital, a venture capital fund that manages more than $450 million. Before that, he co-founded TheraTech Inc., which was acquired by Watson Pharmaceuticals (now Actavis) for $350 million. He also is chairman of the USTAR Governing Authority.
Patel made news in June when he and his wife, Kalpana, threw a three-day traditional Indian wedding for their only daughter, Avni, and her new husband, Abhishek Dhingra.