The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey: $41.4-million Biggest beneficiary: Oprah Winfrey Foundation Donor’s background: Ms. Winfrey is chairwoman of Harpo, a multimedia entertainment company, in Chicago. Ms. Winfrey, 56, gave $40-million to the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, in Chicago, to support education, as well as programs…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Albert P. (Skip) Viragh
Albert P. (Skip) Viragh: $28-million Beneficiary: Chaminade College Preparatory School Donor’s background: Mr. Viragh founded the Rydex Fund Group, a mutual-fund company in Rockville, Md. Mr. Viragh, who was 62 when he died in 2003, left $28-million to Chaminade College Preparatory School, in St.…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Virginia Bernthal Toulmin
Virginia Bernthal Toulmin: $20-million Beneficiary: Dayton Foundation Donor’s background: Mrs. Toulmin is a former nurse and businesswoman whose late husband, Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., was an international patent lawyer. Mr. Toulmin’s father was the lawyer who secured the Wright brothers’ patent for…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Jay A. Precourt
Jay A. Precourt: $20-million Beneficiary: Stanford University Donor’s background: Mr. Precourt is chairman of Hermes Consolidate, an oil company in Denver. Mr. Precourt pledged $20-million to Stanford University, in Palo Alto, Calif., to support the Precourt Institute for Energy, a research center…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Bernard and Anne Spitzer
Bernard and Anne Spitzer: $25-million Beneficiary: City College of New York Donors’ background: Mr. Spitzer founded Spitzer Engineering, a real-estate development and management company in New York. Mrs. Spitzer teaches English literature at Hunter College, in New York, an institution within the…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Thomas F. Steyer and Kat Taylor
Thomas F. Steyer and Kat Taylor: $40-million Beneficiary: Stanford University Donors’ background: Mr. Steyer founded Farallon Capital Management, a hedge fund in San Francisco. Mr. Steyer and his wife, Ms. Taylor, pledged $40-million to Stanford University, in Calif., for the TomKat Center for…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Julian H. and Josie Robertson
Julian H. Jr. and Josie Robertson: $66.1-million Beneficiary: Auckland Art Gallery Donors’ background: Mr. Robertson founded Tiger Management Corporation, a hedge-fund group in New York. Mr. Robertson, 77, and his wife, Josie, 66, pledged a collection of 15 works of art valued at $66.1-million to…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Eric E. and Wendy Schmidt
Eric E. and Wendy Schmidt: $25-million Beneficiary: Princeton University Donors’ background: Eric Schmidt is chief executive officer of Google, the Mountain View, Calif., company. Mr. and Ms. Schmidt pledged $25-million to Princeton University, in N.J., to establish and endow the Eric and Wendy…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Raymond A. Rich
Raymond A. Rich: $76.8-million Biggest beneficiary: Marist College Donor’s background: Mr. Rich headed oil companies, publishing businesses, and financial institutions. Mr. Rich, who died in 2009 at 97, bequeathed a 60-acre estate valued at approximately $65-million, along with a $10-million cash…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: T. Denny Sanford
T. Denny Sanford: $60.7-million Biggest beneficiary: Programs to prevent childhood diseases Other key beneficiaries: College of Teacher Education & Leadership at Arizona State University; University of Minnesota Donor’s background: Mr. Sanford is chairman of First Premier Bank, Premier Bankcard,…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Patrick Soon-Shiong and Michele B. Chan
Patrick Soon-Shiong and Michele B. Chan: $65-million Beneficiary: Saint John’s Health Center Foundation Donors’ background: Dr. Soon-Shiong is a surgeon who founded Abraxis BioScience, a pharmaceutical-development company, in Los Angeles. Ms. Chan is an actress. Dr. Soon-Shiong and Ms. Chan, his…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Ronald P. Stanton
Ronald P. Stanton: $50-million Beneficiary: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Donor’s background: Mr. Stanton founded Transammonia, a New York company that distributes fertilizers, petroleum gas, and petrochemicals. Mr. Stanton, 81, pledged $50-million to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, for a…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Jon L. Stryker
Jon L. Stryker: $41.3-million Biggest beneficiary: Arcus Foundation Other key beneficiary: Arcus Operating Foundation Donor’s background: Mr. Stryker is an architect and heir to the Stryker Corporation fortune. The medical-products company was founded by his grandfather, Homer Stryker, a surgeon…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: John M. Templeton
John M. Templeton: $573-million Beneficiary: John Templeton Foundation Donor’s background: Mr. Templeton was an international investor and a pioneer in mutual-funds management, who died in July 2008 at 95. He bequeathed $573-million in cash and stock to the John Templeton Foundation, in West…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: J. Ronald and Frances Terwilliger
J. Ronald and Frances Terwilliger: $102-million Biggest beneficiary: Habitat for Humanity International Donors’ background: Mr. Terwilliger is chairman of Trammell Crow Residential, a Dallas real-estate company. Mr. Terwilliger, 69, and his wife, Frances, pledged $100-million to Habitat for…
The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Sanford I. and Joan H. Weill
Sanford I. and Joan H. Weill: $26-million Beneficiaries: arts, education, and health groups Donors’ background: Mr. Weill retired in 2006 as chairman of Citigroup, a financial-services company in New York. Mr. Weill, 76, and his wife, Joan, 75, pledged approximately $26-million to arts groups,…