John McDonald, philanthropist who gifted building to LGBTQ Center of the Desert, dies at 93

The community is mourning the loss of John McDonald, a longtime benefactor whose generosity helped shape a major Palm Springs-based nonprofit organization’s ability to serve the entire Coachella Valley. McDonald passed away Sunday at the age of 93.

Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Los Angeles, McDonald built a career that took him from the halls of UCLA — where he earned a bachelor’s degree in geology and a certificate from the Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business — to Western States University School of Law, where he earned his law degree. He remained a member of the California State Bar Association at the time of his death.

In 1967, McDonald joined Mullikin Medical Centers, eventually rising to CEO of Mullikin Medical Enterprises and guiding its expansion from Southern California into Northern California, Washington, and Oregon. He negotiated the sale of the company to Caremark RX in 1995 and retired.

McDonald’s philanthropic legacy is perhaps most visible in Palm Springs, where he and his husband, Rob Wright, donated the 10,000-square-foot building at 1301 North Palm Canyon Drive to The Center in 2015. The facility, now known as the McDonald/Wright Building, houses The Center’s administrative offices, six community rooms, the David Bohnett CyberCenter, and the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic.

“The gift of The McDonald/Wright Building not only transformed The Center into a distinctive place for finding community and support, but it has changed the life of every person who has come through our doors,” said Mike Thompson, CEO of the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, in a statement sent Tuesday.

“John’s unwavering commitment to The Center has left an indelible mark on all of us, and his legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come.”

The couple’s contributions extend well beyond Palm Springs. Wright is a member of the Williams Institute Founders Council, and together they endowed the first Chair of Law at the Institute. Their names are also associated with a 30,000-square-foot building for the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

In November 2019, McDonald and Wright were honored with the 434th star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars, installed on the front of the McDonald/Wright Building at 1301 N. Palm Canyon Drive.

The Center presented the couple with its Legacy Award in 2024, recognizing their lasting contributions to the desert’s LGBTQ+ community.

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