Billionaire industrialist and libertarian political activist David Koch dies at 79

David Koch was a billionaire, industrialist, philanthropist, political activist and onetime vice presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party.

Koch and his 83-year-old brother, Charles, ran Koch Industries, one of the nation’s largest privately held conglomerates. Its investments include subsidiaries involved with manufacturing, refining and distribution of chemicals, fibers and minerals.

Their father, Fred Koch, founded the company in 1940, the year David was born.