NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: GoldenTree Asset Management

FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Culture, Education, Jewish causes, Health

OVERVIEW: Steven Tananbaum and his wife Lisa move their philanthropy through the Lisa and Steven Tananbaum Family Foundation. The couple are major art collectors, who've appeared on ARTnews Top 200 collectors. The Tananbaums steadily support arts and culture, mainly in New York City. The couple also supports the schools they went to. Another interest is Jewish causes. 

BACKGROUND: Steven A. Tananbaum is a graduate of Vassar College with a degree in economics. He worked primarily on high yield and merger & acquisition transactions in the corporate finance department of Kidder, Peabody & Co and spent over a decade at MacKay Shields. Tananbaum founded GoldenTree in 2000, a firm which now has some $25 billion of assets under management. 

ISSUES:

ARTS & CULTURE: The Tananbaums have been listed in ARTnews Top 200 Collectors quite a few times. They specialize in post-war and contemporary art. The couple via their foundation mainly support arts and culture organizations in New York. Another site of philanthropy is Palm Beach, where the family also takes up residence. Grantees include Norton Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, The Bruce Museum, Whitney Museum, The Met, and Foundation of Contemporary Art.

EDUCATION: The couple strongly supports Tananbaum's alma mater, Vassar. In 2011, the family established the Tananbaum fellowships at the school to support student summer internships. The Tananbaums have also supported Northwestern University, Lisa's alma mater. Other grantees have included American School of Classical Studies, and University of Pennsylvania, where they've supported art exhibits. The couple are UPenn parents.

JEWISH CAUSES: A big winner here is the UJA Federation. The couple has also supported Birthright Israel Foundation, American Friends of Israel Museum, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach, US Holocaust Museum, and Park Avenue Synagogue. It's worth noting that even within this grantmaking category, the couple has also supported the arts.

HEALTH: Grantees have included NYU Langone, Mt Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, and National MS Society. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the couple's New York City focus to hold. They've also given strong support to Council on Foreign Relations of late. 

CONTACT:

Lisa and Steven Tananbaum Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but below is contact information:

Lisa and Steven Tananbaum Family Foundation
10 Loden Ln.

Purchase, NY United States 10577

Telephone: (914) 251-1040

LINK:

GoldenTree Asset Management

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Graham Capital Management

FUNDING AREAS: Human Services & Antipoverty, Youth, Education, Health, Environment

OVERVIEW: Ken Tropin moves his philanthropy through the Orchard Farm Foundation. Tropin's giving largely focuses on the Northeast, particularly Connecticut, where he lives and where his hedge fund is headquartered. Tropin sits on the board of directors of antipoverty giant Robin Hood Foundation, which he strongly supports, along with other human services organizations. 

BACKGROUND: Kenneth G. Tropin served as president and CEO of John W. Henry & Company and as senior vice president and director of managed futures at Dean Witter Reynolds. In 1994, he founded Graham Capital Management, a leading alternative investment manager focusing on global macro discretionary and quantitative hedge fund strategies.

ISSUES:

HUMAN SERVICES & ANTIPOVERTY: Ken Tropin is on the board of directors of Robin Hood Foundation, which has received some of The Orchard Farm Foundation's largest sums in recent years. Supporting the poor and homeless seems to be a top priority. Apart from Robin Hood, he's also backed Inspirica; Services for the Underserved; Pacific House; Connecticut Food Bank; Building Homes for Heroes; The Inner-City Foundation For Charity & Education, which "supports organizations providing assistance, including food, clothing, shelter, counseling and education, to at-risk and needy children and adults of Fairfield County"; and Homes With Hope, which deals with foster care and adoption.

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Tropin has supported A Better Chance Inc, "the oldest, largest and only national program providing academically talented minority children with access to some of our nation’s finest college preparatory schools, both private and public"; Achievement First; Kids in Crisis; Rowayton School PTA; Teach for America; and Future 5, which "helps motivated, low-income high school students in Stamford connect to their full potential." Tropin has also supported Dartmouth and is a Dartmouth parent.

HEALTH: Grantees have included American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Autism Speaks, Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinsons Foundation, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Stamford Health Foundation. Grantmaking here seems to take on a more national quality. 

ENVIRONMENT: Tropin via his The Orchard Farm Foundation also earmarks funds for environmental organizations like Nature Conservancy, The Everglades Foundation, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

LOOKING FORWARD: Tropin is still very much engaged in business, and in recent years his foundation's annual grantmaking has hovered in the $1 to $2 million range. Perhaps this will change down the line. Tropin also has a residence in Florida, a potential site of philanthropy. 

CONTACT:

The Orchard Farm Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with Tropin, but below is contact information:

The Orchard Farm Foundation
40 Highland Ave.

Norwalk, CT 06853

Telephone: (203) 899-3476

LINK:

Graham Capital Management

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Baupost Group

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Arts & Culture, Health & Human Services, Global, Boston community 

OVERVIEW: Herbert Wagner and his wife Charlotte move their philanthropy through the Wagner Family Foundation. The couple's giving through their foundation strongly focuses on the Boston area, including education, youth organizations, and arts and culture. The family also support organizations working in health, and on a global level. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

BACKGROUND: Herbert S. Wagner III spent 13 years at Baupost Group, becoming portfolio manager of the Boston-based firm. Wagner founded Finepoint Capital LP, which he runs. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Wagners via their foundation have given especially strong support of late to Year Up Boston and Campaign for Catholic Schools, where Wagner serves as a trustee. Campaign for Catholic Schools describes itself as a "grassroots nonprofit dedicated to raising the significant private philanthropic support needed to rebuild Catholic schools in Greater Boston and keep them strong for generations to come." Other grantees have included Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, where Wagner serves as a director; Inner City Scholarship Fund; Buckingham Browne and Nichols School; Codman Academy Foundation; Wheelock College; and Summer Search Boston, which helps "low-income teenagers transform what they believe is possible for themselves and develop the skills they need to become college-educated leaders who give back to their families and communities."

ARTS & CULTURE: Wagner and Charlotte have given steady support to Institute of Contemporary Art Boston. Other grantees have included Cambridge Historical Society and Museum of Science.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The Wagners, through their foundation, have supported places like Mt. Auburn Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Jimmy Fund, and Full Frame Initiative, which "works to change systems so that people and communities experiencing poverty, violence and trauma have the tools, supports and resources they need to thrive."

BOSTON COMMUNITY: The family's giving also targets local organizations in Boston that deal with the environment and civic space. Another important grantee is The Red Sox Foundation. Charlotte Wagner is on the board of the foundation.

GLOBAL: While much of the family's philanthropy impacts the Boston area, the Wagners also earmark funds for organizations that work on a global level. They've given support to places like Partners in Health, which provides "research, advocacy and publications related to health, worldwide"; child welfare agency Wide Horizons For Children; and Root Capital, which works in Africa and Latin America and invests in agricultural businesses. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the Wagner's heavy focus on the Boston community to continue. 

CONTACT:

The Wagner Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple but below is contact information:

Wagner Family Foundation
P.O. Box 51400

Boston, MA 02205

Telephone: (617) 439-2498

LINK:

Finepoint Capital

NET WORTH: Unknown 

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs

FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Culture, Education & Youth, Health/Human Services, Jewish causes

OVERVIEW: Jonathan Sobel and his wife Marcia Dunn move their philanthropy through the The Jonathan Sobel and Marcia Dunn Foundation, a low-profile charity with a minimal web presence. The couple's philanthropy focuses on New York City, where interests include arts and culture. Sobel's board memberships include the Hospital and Special Surgery and Public Art Fund. 

BACKGROUND: Born and raised in New Jersey, Jonathan Sobel attended Dwight-Englewood School, and then Columbia University, majoring in economics. Sobel joined Goldman Sachs when he was just finishing his junior year at the age of 20. He went on to become partner, managing director, and global head of the firm’s mortgage department, among other roles. Sobel is currently a principal of Ford Financial Fund in Dallas. 

ISSUES:

ARTS & CULTURE: Sobel sits on the boards of the Public Art Fund and the Whitney Museum. The family has supported these outfits as well as Parrish Art Museum on Long Island, Guggenheim, American Museum of Natural History, and Roundabout Theater. In recent years, the couple has directed especially large sums towards the Whitney. 

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Sobel supports his alma mater, Columbia. He also sits on the board of the Dalton School, which the couple supports as well. Other grantees have included Waterside School in Stamford, Brown University, School of American Ballet, and Writopia Lab, a youth creative writing nonprofit. 

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: Sobel sits on the board of the Hospital for Special Surgery, home to the Marcia Dunn and Jonathan Sobel Department of Neurology. Other philanthropy includes Mt. Sinai, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, FARE, and Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. It's worth noting that Marcia Dunn is an ophthalmologist. In human services, the couple has supported Robin Hood Foundation, and Food Pantry Farm. 

JEWISH CAUSES: Grantees have included American Israel Education Foundation, USC Shoah Foundation, UJA Federation, and Jewish Museum. 

LOOKING FORWARD: In a recent tax year, the foundation was all but depleted of assets and gave away an atypically small amount. A prior tax statement, though, indicated that the foundation had no plans to liquidate or terminate, suggesting that more money will be headed towards the Sobel couple's select interest areas.   

CONTACT:

The Jonathan Sobel and Marcia Dunn Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple but below is an address:

The Jonathan Sobel and Marcia Dunn Foundation
P.O. Box 73, Bowling Green Sta.
New York City, NY 10274

LINK:

Ford Financial Fund

NET WORTH: Unknown 

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Code Hennessy & Simmons, Promus Holdings, Promus Equity Partners

FUNDING AREAS: Religious, Youth, Human Services & Health, Education, Global

OVERVIEW: Andrew Code, his wife Susan, and family move their philanthropy through the Code Family Foundation. The Codes strongly focus on Chicagoland and the Midwest in their philanthropy. A top interest is supporting religious organizations: Code is among the founders of Chicago Fellowship, a religious nonprofit for men. The foundation keeps a low profile but appears to accept unsolicited proposals.  

BACKGROUND: Raised in Iowa City, Andrew W. Code received a B.B.A. and an MBA from University of Iowa. He worked at American National Bank and Citicorp, and was partner at Code Hennessy & Simmons. Code cofounded Promus Holdings and Promus Equity Partners in Chicago.

ISSUES:

RELIGIOUS: Andrew Code is among the founders of Chicago Fellowship, one goal of which is to help "men find relationship with other men for the purposes of accountability and support in pursuing and living Biblical truth." The foundation was originally started by Code and a group of Chicago-area businessmen. It's clear that Code's faith is important to him, and he's been featured in some of Chicago Fellowship's podcasts. The family via their foundation steadily support Chicago Fellowship. Other grantees have included Breakthrough Urban Ministries; Soul City Church; Christian Life Ministries; Abundant Life Ministries; and International Teams, "a nondenominational Christian, evangelical ministry based in Elgin, Illinois, builds and sends missionary teams on summer, two year, and career commitments."

YOUTH: Some of the Code family's grantmaking overlaps. For instance, some of the youth organizations they support also have faith-based aims. The family has strongly supported Young Life, "a nondenominational Christian ministry that reaches out to adolescents through volunteers, staff, club meetings, and camps." Last decade alone, Young Life received $1.13 million from the Codes via their foundation. Other grantees have included By the Hand Club for Kids, "helping kids in critical need of intervention have new and abundant life," Grip Outreach for Youth, and Inner City Impact.

HUMAN SERVICES & HEALTH: The Codes have supported ridge Communities, which helps " transition homeless families to self-sufficiency by working with partners to provide mentoring, housing, and supportive services"; Grace Place for Children and Families; and Giant Steps, which works with those with autism. 

EDUCATION: Code and Susan both graduated from University of Iowa, with Susan graduating from the College of Nursing. Their mutual alma mater is the site of the Susan K. Code Nursing Scholarship. Code is on the board of the University of Iowa Foundation. The family has also supported places like Catalyst Schools, Citizen Schools, and Holy Family School.

GLOBAL: A component of the family's philanthropy also involves organizations that work on a global level, like buildON, Arc of Hope Uganda, UNICEF, and CURE International, a "Christian nonprofit organization that is focused on providing medical care to children suffering primarily from orthopedic and neurological conditions." Some of the family's work via the University of Iowa Foundation also supports global causes. One grant provided funding for medical trips focusing on obstetrics, grant gynecology, family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics in Niger.

LOOKING FORWARD: Andrew Code is still very much engaged in business but should be watched for greater giving down the line, particularly with respect to religious organizations. 

CONTACT:

The Code Family Foundation keeps a low profile but appears to accept proposals. Below is contact information:  

The Code Family Foundation
30 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 1600

Chicago, IL 60606

Telephone: (312) 876-3945

LINK:  

Promus Equity Partners Website

Andrew W. Code Linkedin

NET WORTH: Unknown 

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Golder Thoma Cressey Rauner (GTCR)

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Environment, Health & Human Services, Jewish causes, Policy

OVERVIEW: Bruce Rauner and his wife Diana move their philanthropy through the Rauner Family Foundation. The charity keeps a low profile and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals. The Rauners, via their foundation, support a range of causes, including education reform in Chicago and environmental organizations. 

BACKGROUND: Born and raised in Illinois, Bruce Rauner graduated from Dartmouth College and received an MBA from Harvard. After his 1981 graduation, Rauner joined Golder Thoma Cressey, which was eventually renamed Golder Thoma Cressey Rauner (GTCR), a private equity firm. Last year, Rauner began serving as the 42nd Governor of Illinois. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: According to a Chicago Magazine profile, Rauner has donated more than $20 million to public education in Chicago, a cause that galvanized his foray into politics. Rauner once reportedly wrote that "teacher evaluation is critically important, but in a massive bureaucracy with a hostile union, where 50% of principals are managerially incompetent and half of teachers are virtually illiterate, a complete multi-dimensional evaluation system with huge subjectivity in it will be attacked, manipulated and marginalized — the status quo will prevail." 

The Rauners via their foundation have directed funds to Chicago International Charter School, Chicago Public Education Fund, City Year Chicago, Educational Choice Illinois, Teach for America, and Learn Charter School. 

Another important grantee here is Ounce of Prevention Fund, an educational nonprofit for at-risk young children, where Diana serves as president. Diana, by the way, holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Chicago. Other grantees have included OneGoal, "an innovative college persistence program working to make college graduation possible for all students."

Rauner and Diana also support their respective alma maters, Dartmouth and Yale. A special collections library at Dartmouth bears the Rauner name and the couple's daughters also went to the Ivy League school.  

ENVIRONMENT: Away from their Chicagoland base, the family also has a home in the west. Rauner philanthropy includes environmental organizations Montana Land Reliance, Yellowstone Park Foundation, Nature Conservancy, NRDC, The Wilderness Society, and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. 

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The Rauners have given several million to American Red Cross—the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago is home to the Rauner Center. The family also supports YMCA, the site of the Rauner Family YMCA of Greater Chicago. Other grantees have included South Side Community Economic Development Center, Roger Baldwin Foundation (which works for reproductive rights), Rush University Medical Center, and Shriners Hospital for Children - Chicago.

JEWISH CAUSES: Diana was raised in a Jewish family in the New York City area. The couple via their foundation has supported AJC, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, and the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois.

POLICY: Rauner is a Republican governor and on the policy front he and his wife have supported Heartland Institute, a libertarian think-tank, and the Illinois Policy Institute, which "supports limited government and free-market principles."

OTHER: The foundation has given fairly large grants to Navy Seal Foundation. As well, a component of this couple's philanthropy involves global outfits like Opportunity International. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the very active Rauner to continue direct money towards philanthropy, despite his many other engagements. Rauner's role in education reform in Chicago should be watched carefully. 

CONTACT:

The Rauner Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple but below is an address:

Rauner Family Foundation

720 Rosewood Ave.

Winnetka, IL 60093 

LINK:

Bruce Rauner Campaign Website

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs

FUNDING AREAS: Religious, Women's Equity, Arts and Media, Utah community

OVERVIEW: Greg Zehner and his wife Jacki move their philanthropy through The Jacquelyn & Gregory Zehner Foundation, which gave away around $636,000 in a recent fiscal year. Zehner became an ordained pastor last decade and the couple has bankrolled a number of religious outfits. Women's equity is another big issue for the Zehners, and here Jacki takes the lead. The couple moved to Utah at the start of the decade and the state serves as an important site of philanthropy.

BACKGROUND: Raised on Long Island, Gregory H. Zehner graduated from MIT with a bachelors and masters degree in electrical engineering. He later received a masters of divinity from Yale. Zehner worked at Goldman Sachs and made partner. He was also managing director of emerging debt market trading at the firm. He left Goldman in 2000 and has since become a pastor. He lives in Utah with his wife, fellow Goldman veteran, Jacki Zehner. 

ISSUES:

RELIGIOUS: Post-Goldman, Zehner decided to pursue his religious faith, saying: “I credit my faith with me being a successful trader...it’s been important to me my whole life." Zehner sits on the board of Grace Farms Foundation in New Cannan, Conn., which "supports initiatives in the areas of faith, the arts, justice, and community."

The couple's philanthropy reflects this important interest area. The Zehners through their foundation have recently bankrolled religious outfits such as Operation Mobilization, "a Christian organization founded by George Verwer to mobilise young people to live and share the Gospel of Jesus," Give Me An Answer, a nonprofit ministry, Auburn Theological Seminary, New York Theological Seminary - The Micah Institute, Biblical Ministries Worldwide, and International Fellowship of Christians & Jews. Zehner and Jacki have recently given especially large support to Christian Center of Park City, the recipient of $150,000 in the most recent fiscal year available. 

WOMEN'S EQUITY: Jacki Zehner has been a prominent advocate of women's equity, stating on her website that she has a "particular focus on women’s rights, women’s foundations, movement building, and media." The Zehners have recently bankrolled outfits such as YWCA Salt Lake City, Thirty Percent Coalition, "a group of industry leaders, including senior business executives, statewide elected officials, national women's organizations, institutional investors, corporate governance experts and board members who believe in the power of collaborative effort to achieve gender diversity in public company boardrooms," Re:Gender, which "works to end gender inequity, and discrimination against girls and women," Women's Media Center, United Way of Salt Lake - Women's Leadership Council, and Women Moving Millions. Jacki Zehner serves as president and chief engagement officer of Women Moving Millions, which she describes as "exist[ing] to promote women for women philanthropy."

A component of the couple's philanthropy in this area also involves outfits that work for women in other countries such as World Pulse, the "leading network using the power of digital media to connect women worldwide and bring them a global voice," and Akilah Institute, a college for women in East Africa.

ARTS AND MEDIA: Zehner and Jacki are also interested in the arts and media. Jacki sits on such boards as Sundance Institute, and Chicken & Egg Pictures, which is "dedicated to supporting women nonfiction filmmakers whose diverse voices and dynamic storytelling have the power to catalyze change, at home and around the globe." Jacki has also said that she "considers filmmaking as a philanthropic strategy unto itself." Recent grantees include Kimball Art Center, Sundance Institute, Utah Film Center, Tides Center - Chicken & Egg Pictures, and Democracy Now! Productions. 

UTAH COMMUNITY: The couple has recently funded outfits such as Peace House, a domestic violence organization in Park City, Park City Education Foundation, University Of Utah, Park City Community Foundation, and Rowland Hall, a private school in Salt Lake City. 

LOOKING FORWARD: With Zehner focusing in on religious issues post-Goldman, and Jacki focusing in on women's issues, expect steady money to keep streaming to these two interest areas in the coming years. It's unclear how much this couple is worth, but the Zehners were both partners at Goldman prior to the firm's 1999 IPO, each owning a stake in the company worth millions.

CONTACT:

The Jacquelyn & Gregory Zehner Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple but below is an address:

The Jacquelyn & Gregory Zehner Foundation

77 Water St., 9th Fl.

New York City, NY 10005

LINKS:

Greg Zehner Linkedin Profile

NET WORTH: $2 billion

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Inherited, investments, co-trustee of H.O. Hirt Trusts

FUNDING AREAS: Higher education, Arts, Youth Services, Human Services, Community and Economic Development

OVERVIEW: Much of Susan Hirt Hagen’s philanthropic dollars go to the Chautauqua Foundation, however, she does make room for other worthy causes.

BACKGROUND: Susan Hirt Hagen’s father, Henry O. Hirt, founded Erie Indemnity Company in 1925. The company has since grown to be the third-largest insurance company in Pennsylvania and one of the largest auto insurers in the United States. Hagen became the first female board member of Erie Indemnity in 1980 and is the company’s longest serving director. When Henry Hirt died, she became the beneficiary of one of the two family trusts, which own controlling interest of Erie Indemnity. Her brother, Frank, became beneficiary of the second trust. Frank Hagen passed away in 2012, leaving Susan with the majority stake in Erie Indemnity.

Susan attended Wittenberg University, a liberal arts college in Ohio, receiving an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University in 2011. When she returned to her hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, Susan became a strong advocate for youth-based programs such as SafeNet, a domestic violence victim services organization; the Boys and girls Club of Erie County; and the Ophelia Project, an anti-bullying organization.  

Susan has also served on the boards of the Chautauqua Institution, Wittenberg University, the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and the Erie Community Foundation. Both Wittenberg and the Chautauqua Institution play a big role in Hagen’s philanthropy.

ISSUES:

HIGHER EDUCATION: Wittenberg University has, to date, been the largest recipient of Hagen’s higher ed donation dollars. In recent years, Hagen made a handful of $100,000 gifts to the school on an annual basis. In 2011, she made the largest gift the school has received to date: a $6 million donation to the university’s endowment fund. According to the school, the funds will go toward operating support of the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement—formerly known as the Wittenberg Center for Civic and Urban Engagement.

Wittenberg may get a good share of Hagen’s higher education dollars, but not all. Susan Hagen is a founder of Penn State Erie’s Behrend College Center for Organizational Research and Evaluation (CORE). CORE focuses on promoting healthy youth development, addressing youth homelessness and teen pregnancy prevention.

Hagen’s interest in curbing teen pregnancy began when she was a social worker in Cleveland, Ohio. During that time, she met a 13-year-old pregnant teenager whom she was charged with taking to court so the girl could get permission to marry the baby’s father. According to Hagen, she “couldn’t stop asking (herself) what kind of future was ahead for this family. When children have children, the impact can last for generations.” When Hagen returned to Erie, Pennsylvania, she became a community leader and was asked, among other things, to tackle the issue of teen pregnancy. It was the Behrend College’s staff that reportedly impressed her the most. In 2008, after making a donation that is only described as “a major gift,” the college renamed the center the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Organizational Research and Evaluation.

Hagen has also lent her support to Gannon University, Cedar Crest College, Pennsylvania State University and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania over the years.

CHAUTAUQUA FOUNDATION: The vast majority of Susan Hirt Hagen’s philanthropy is centered on the New York-based Chautauqua Foundation, which was established in the 1930s to oversee and manage the Chautauqua Institution’s endowment. Since the early 2000s, Hagen has given the Foundation approximately $13 million in support of its work in arts, youth services, education, human services, public administration, and libraries. Hagen’s donations have gone toward general operating support, scholarships, and the foundation’s endowment.

LOOKING FORWARD: Having previously worked as a social worker and given her involvement in CORE, it isn’t a stretch to say that Hagen will likely continue her focus on youth and community services related programs. That said, Hagen has been known to make a one-off gift here and there, such as the $2 million donation she made in conjunction with Erie Insurance, to the Sarah Reed Children’s Center in 2012. The gift was made in support of building a new residence hall and treatment environment for young trauma victims. She's also given to arts institutions like Erie Philharmonic. So while Hagen’s giving pattern is relatively steadfast, it also seems pretty flexible. 

CONTACT:

Erie Indemnity

100 Erie Insurance Pl, Erie, PA 16530

(814) 451-5000

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Quellos Group, BlackRock, Sahsen Ventures

FUNDING AREAS: Education, Youth and Families, Life Sciences, Social Justice, Environment

OVERVIEW: Bryan and Christine White conduct philanthropy through the Sahsen Foundation, which according to available tax filings, awarded $1.7 million in grants in 2018. However, the foundation’s grantmaking is opaque; the family has set up a donor advised fund with Vanguard Charitable.

BACKGROUND: Bryan White graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics from Pomona College and went on to receive a MBA in accounting and finance from University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He was a senior consultant at PwC, and co-founded Quellos Group in Seattle in 1994. He was a managing director at BlackRock and then founded Sahsen Ventures.

SAHSEN VENTURES & FOUNDATION: Bryan White founded Sahsen Ventures in 2016 to “pollinate and nurture mission-driven enterprises that support the Earth and all its inhabitants.” Sahsen makes investments in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations with an emphasis on “technology and biotechnology that hold the promise to help resolve some the world’s most pressing issues.” Sahsen funds work related to education, youth and families, life sciences, social justice, and the environment.

Bryan and his wife Christine conduct philanthropy through the Sahsen Foundation, which awarded about $1.5 million in a recent year. However, the foundation’s grantmaking lacks transparency. The family has set up a donor advised fund with Vanguard Charitable. White serves on the board of his alma mater Pomona College, as well as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Friends of Camp Gallagher. White is also on the advisory board of Institute of Protein Design at University of Washington.

LOOKING FORWARD: White has said that much of his work is voluntary. Perhaps his foundation will be a little more accessible down the line.

CONTACT:

Sahsen Foundation
1420 5th Ave., No. 4100
Seattle, WA 98101

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Zevenbergen Capital Investments

FUNDING AREAS: Religious, Education & Youth, Cancer Research

OVERVIEW: Nancy and John Zevenbergen move their philanthropy through the Anduin Foundation. The family support religious causes. Other interests include education and cancer research, driven by personal forces. According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded $836,000 in grants in 2018.

BACKGROUND: Nancy Zevenbergen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance from University of Washington in 1981. She started her career at Rainier National Bank, beginning as a teller and working her way up to research analyst. In 1987, she launched Zevenbergen Capital Investments in Seattle, specializing in aggressive growth-equity investment advisory services for separately managed portfolios and mutual funds.

ISSUES: 

RELIGIOUS: The couple have directed large sums to North Sound Church of late. Other grantees have included Earl Palmer Ministries  and University Presbyterian Church.

EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Zevenbergens support University of Washington Foundation. They’ve also directed funds to Seattle Pacific Foundation, which supports Seattle Pacific University. Nancy is a longtime board member of Seattle Pacific Foundation. Other grantees have included Washington STEM and ZGiRLS, which equips “girls in sports with the tools and perspective they need to be confident, centered, and courageous.” It’s worth noting that Zevenbergen played collegiate basketball and her daughter Hayley was a Yale soccer player.

CANCER RESEARCH: The family direct steady funds to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. John’s father passed away from the disease.

OTHER: The Zevenbergens have also supported places like Cascadia Art Museum. They also appear to make grants in the realm of human services.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family to continue to steadily support their select interests. Women’s equity is another issue to keep an eye on for this funder. Zevenbergen has spoken about these issues before.

CONTACT:

Anduin Foundation
601 Union St, Ste 4600
Seattle, WA 98101 

LINK: Zevenbergen Capital Investments

NET WORTH: $4.8 billion

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Ziff-Davis, Ziff Brothers Investments, Och-Ziff Capital Management

FUNDING AREAS: Performing Arts, Conservation, New York

OVERVIEW: Daniel and Leslie Ziff support performing arts, conservation and New York City causes through the Leslie and Daniel Ziff Foundation. Available tax filings indicate that the foundation did not make any grant awards in 2018 and awarded $250,000 in grants in 2017.

BACKGROUND: Daniel Ziff is a graduate of Columbia University. He is the youngest of the three Ziff brothers who inherited the Ziff Davis media fortune in 1994. The brothers established Ziff Brothers Investments and significantly increased their inherited fortunes. Leslie Ziff holds a BFA in dance from Cornish College of the Arts. The couple is divorced.

ISSUES:

PERFORMING ARTS: Daniel Ziff is a longtime supporter of performing arts in New York City. He began supporting Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1997, and since then his gifts to the institution have increased to about $1 million each year. Leslie Ziff has served on the board of trustees of the American Ballet Theater and Rosie’s Theater Kids, Rosie O’Donnell’s performing arts program for students from New York City’s “neediest elementary schools.” Additional past grantees include Mark DeGarmo Dance, the Polaris Dance Theatre, Sing for Hope, the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, and the Metropolitan Opera.

CONSERVATION: The Ziffs broadly invest in environmental organizations. They have supported the National Audubon Society, Conservation International, and the National Resources Defense Council.

NEW YORK: The Leslie and Daniel Ziff Foundation is a regular supporter of a variety of New York City-based organizations. Past grantees include the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the New York Blood Center, Volunteers of America of Greater New York, the Central Park Conservancy, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New York City, and the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

LOOKING FORWARD: The fate of the Leslie and Daniel Ziff foundation is unclear in light of the couple’s divorce.

CONTACT:

The Leslie and Daniel Ziff Foundation
350 Park Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10222

NET WORTH: Unknown  

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Jewish Causes, Health, Arts & Culture

OVERVIEW: Jon and Abby Winkelried conduct their philanthropy through the Jon and Abby Winkelried Foundation. According to available tax filings, the foundation disbursed $305,000 in grants in 2018. They support education and youth, Jewish causes, health, and arts and culture.

BACKGROUND: New Jersey native Jon Winkelried attended the University of Chicago, where he received an undergraduate degree and an MBA. He began his career as an intern at Goldman Sachs in 1982, eventually working his way up to president and co-COO. Winkelried retired from Goldman Sachs in 2009. In 2015 he joined the San Francisco-based private equity firm TPG as co-CEO. Abby Wikelried is a preschool teacher.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Winkelrieds’ education and youth funding supports both higher education and causes in their native New York-New Jersey area. They are longtime supporters of Vanderbilt University, where all three of their children studied, and where Jon serves on the board of trustees. Another grantee is Columbia University and the Kinderfrogs preschool at Columbia’s Teacher’s College. In New Jersey, the Winkelrieds support GlassRoots, which aims to “ignite and build the creative and economic vitality of greater Newark” through “underserved youth and young adults.”

JEWISH CAUSES: The Winkelrieds have supported Jewish causes on the local and national levels. Grantees include the Congregation B'nai Jeshurun Fund, the American Jewish Committee, the UJA Federation of New York, the World Council of Synagogues, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Central Pennsylvania.

HEALTH: The couple invest broadly in health causes. Jon Winkelried serves on the board of overseers of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Other past grantees include New York University’s Langone Medical Center, amfAR and the Hospital for Special Surgery.

ARTS & CULTURE: Jon Winkelried raises competitive ranch and roping horses at his Colorado ranches and has supported the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. In Oregon, the Winkelrieds have supported the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Portland Art Museum.

LOOKING FORWARD: Winkelried is still very much engaged in business, so his giving may expand in coming years.

CONTACT:

The Jon and Abby Winkelried Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:

The Jon & Abby Winkelried Foundation
Bowling Green Sta., P.O. Box 73
New York City, NY 10274

NET WORTH: Unknown  

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs, Evercore Partners

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Health, Environment, Arts & Culture

OVERVIEW:  John and Amy Weinberg established the John S. and Amy S. Weinberg Foundation. Available tax filings reveal that the foundation awarded $1.79 million in grants in 2017. The Weinbergs support education and youth, health, the environment and arts and culture.

BACKGROUND: John S. Weinberg is the son of John L. Weinberg, a former Goldman Sachs management committee chairman, and the grandson of Sidney J. Weinberg, who also once headed the firm. John S. Weinberg graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Business School. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1983 as an associate, became partner in 1992 and retired from the company in 2015. In 2016, he was hired by the investment bank Evercore Partners as executive chairman and chairman of the board.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Weinbergs do not outline specific initiatives for their education and youth funding. They support their alma maters: Princeton, Harvard and Smith. John S. Weinberg is also a trustee of Middlebury College in Vermont. Other past grantees include Deerfield Academy, the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, New York City’s TEAK Fellowship program and the National Outdoor Leadership School.

HEALTH: The Weinbergs are longtime supporters of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Amy serves on its board of trustees. The disease has affected several generations of the Weinberg family, and together they made a $15 million commitment to the Milestones to a Cure campaign in 2008. Other past grantees in the area of health include National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, New York University’s Langone Medical Center, and Caron Treatment Centers.

ENVIRONMENT:  Weinbergs have supported the Nature Conservancy and the Greenwich Land Trust.

ARTS & CULTURE: The Weinbergs have shown a strong interest in theater, having supported New York City’s Roundabout Theatre Company and the Martha's Vineyard Theater Foundation.

LOOKING FORWARD: Weinberg will likely continue to support their alma maters, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and other organizations in which they have shown specific interests. They may also further develop their philanthropic support for innovative education and theater programs.

CONTACT:

The John S. and Amy S. Weinberg Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:

John S. and Amy S. Weinberg Foundation
Bowling Green Sta., P.O. Box 73
New York City, NY  10274

NET WORTH: $2.5 billion

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Bloomberg L.P.

FUNDING AREAS: Education, Science & Medicine, Human Services & Economic Opportunity, Arts & Culture, Nutrition & Health, Other Causes

OVERVIEW: Charles Zegar and Merryl Snow Zegar, established the Zegar Family Foundation in 2007 to “give back by improving the lives of others and enhancing the communities and larger world around us.” According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded $8.44 million in grants in 2017. The Zegars maintain a broad variety of philanthropic interests. Their foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, but welcomes inquiries and ideas.

BACKGROUND: Zegar was born to a Jewish family of modest means in New York. His mother was a musical comedy performer and opera singer and his father was a subway conductor. He graduated from Long Island University and earned a masters degree in computer science from New York University. While working at Salomon Brothers, he met Michael Bloomberg, who offered Zegar an ownership stake in the financial data company he was starting. Zegar headed up software development for the company that would become Bloomberg LP. Merryl Snow Zegar is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and earned a J.D. degree from Fordham University. She has worked as an attorney and an administrative law judge in New York City.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION: The Zegars support education broadly. In 2017, they supported research on climate change and coral bleaching at the University of California at Santa Barbara with a gift of over $1 million. The couple has also given several millions to New York University, where Charles Zegar serves on the board of trustees. Other past education grantees include the Trevor Day School, Long Island University, Johns Hopkins University and the Posse Foundation, which runs a multicultural student leadership program in the U.S.

SCIENCE & MEDICINE: Grantees in the area of science and medicine include the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Columbia University Medical Center. At New York University, the Zegars have funded studies on plant genomics.

HUMAN SERVICES & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY:  The couple’s philanthropy in this area aims to help “disadvantaged people help themselves through opportunities for economic growth and/or personal development.” Grantees have included the veteran’s organization Heroes in Transition, the Robin Hood Foundation, which aims to alleviate poverty in New York, and Shelter Box, an organization that provides disaster relief in the U.S. and abroad.

ARTS & CULTURE: Merryl Snow Zegar serves on the boards of New York’s Lower East Side Tenement Museum and the Santa Barbara Center for Performing Arts. The couple also supports the Museum of the City of New York, National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Little Orchestra Society, Figure Skating in Harlem, and the National Parks Conservation Association.

NUTRITION & HEALTH: The Zegars have expressed a strong interest in nutrition and have supported several organizations that aim to help people make better food choices. Past grantees include Wellness in the Schools, Wholesome Wave, and Slow Food.

OTHER CAUSES: In keeping with their broad philanthropic range, the Zegars have supported various organizations in the areas of human rights, justice, and conservation. They have also invested internationally. One grantee, the GEANCO Foundation works in the areas of health and education to “transform the lives of the poor and vulnerable in Africa.”

LOOKING FORWARD: The Zegars’ philanthropy is robust and their priorities represent a broad range of issues. According to their foundation website, they are “always open to new ideas,” suggesting a flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing needs within their areas of interest.

LINK:

Zegar Family Foundation

CONTACT:

info@zegarff.org

NET WORTH: $18 billion

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Renaissance Technologies Corporation

FUNDING AREAS:  Mathematics, Basic Sciences, Autism, Education

OVERVIEW: James and Marilyn Simons support research in mathematics, basic sciences and autism through the Simons Foundation. According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded $272 million in grants in 2017. They also support K-12 math and science education in the U.S. through Math for America, a teacher development program.

BACKGROUND: James Simons earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley when he was 23 years old. He worked with the defense department and taught at MIT and Harvard before becoming chair of the math department at Stony Brook University. He left academia in 1978 to apply his expertise to finance and launched Rennaissance Technologies in 1982. Rennaissance was among the first funds to use quantitative models for trading. It remains one of the most successful funds in the history of investing.

ISSUES:

MATHEMATICS: The Simons Foundation supports individuals and institutions that are “advancing the frontiers of research in mathematics.” One past individual grantee, Akshay Venkatesh, studies number theory at Stanford University. The foundation has also funded the American Institute of Mathematics and the Institute of Mathematics at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

BASIC SCIENCES: The foundation's supports basic research in several areas of science, including life sciences. In addition to supporting individuals and institutions, the foundation runs several internal research projects. The Flatiron Institute, one of the foundation’s internal research facilities, recently worked to create a “connectome” or “map of every neuron and synaptic connection” of the Megaphragma, a microscopic wasp.

AUTISM: The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative aims to “improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders by funding innovative research of the highest quality and relevance.” While the foundation supports individuals and institutions in this area, most of awards are directed toward individual researchers. One recent grantee, the University of Washington’s Evan Eichler, used funding to pursue his research on the “structural variations and genetic architecture of autism.”

EDUCATION: James and Marilyn Simons established Math for America to support the development of high quality math and science teachers in New York City’s public schools. The organization implements fellowship programs for promising teachers who then create communities of professionals in their geographic areas. The program currently operates only in New York.

LOOKING FORWARD: James and Marilyn Simons are likely to continue their philanthropic work in the fields of research and education. While the Simons Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding, it posts RFPs on its funding opportunities page.

CONTACT: 

Marilyn Simons, President

The Simons Foundation

160 5th Avenue, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10010

(646) 654-0066

LINKS:

Simons Foundation

Funding Opportunities

News

Contact

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Thoma Bravo

FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Culture, Higher Education 

OVERVIEW: Carl and Marilynn Thoma conduct their philanthropy through the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation, a low-profile vehicle whose grantmaking includes arts and educational institutions. According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded $5.7 million in grants in 2018. In 2014, the family established the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation to distinguish their support for visual art. Available tax filings reveal that the Thoma Art Foundation awarded around $626,000 in grants in 2017.

BACKGROUND: Carl Thoma received a BS from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Stanford University. He began his career at First Chicago Equity Group, where he helped build one of the largest private equity firms in the country. In 1980, Thoma cofounded Golder Thoma & Co. and is a managing partner of Thoma Bravo. 

ISSUES:

ARTS: Thoma and Marilynn are avid art collectors and began collecting in the late 1970s. Through the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation, established in 1986, they have been major supporters of Chicago Humanities Festival, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and Santa Fe Opera. Marilynn serves on the board of the Art Institute of Chicago and Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

In 2014, the couple founded the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation to distinguish their initiatives in support of the visual arts. The Thoma Foundation collection includes over 1,000 works of art in four broad fields: Digital and Electronic Art, Japanese Bamboo, Post War Painting & Sculpture, and Spanish Colonial. The Foundation has exhibition spaces in Santa Fe and Chicago dedicated to sharing works from the foundation’s collection.

Unlike the couple's family foundation, their art foundation has a strong web presence and accepts proposals. Grantees include Blanton Museum of Art (where a grant supported an Endowed Associate Curator of Spanish Colonial Art), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Nevada Museum of Art.The foundation also funds an Arts Writing Award in Digital Art and a Research Fellowship in Twentieth Century Abstract Painting. 

HIGHER EDUCATION: The couple support their mutual undergraduate and graduate alma maters, Oklahoma State University and Stanford University.

OTHER: Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation grantees include American Enterprise Institute and Illinois Policy Institute. The couple has also supported health outfit Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (now the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab). They have also supported Kenilworth Union Church and Monetary of Christ in the Desert. 

LOOKING FORWARD: With the young Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation, expect Thoma and Marilynn to deepen their arts philanthropy. Their huge arts collection could figure in giving. 

CONTACT:

Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation
875 North Michigan Avenue Ste. 131
Chicago, IL 60611

LINK:

Thoma Foundation

Contact Page

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Advanta

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Arts & Culture, Jewish Causes

OVERVIEW: Dennis Alter conducts philanthropy through the Alter Family Foundation and the Alter Foundation. Both charities focus on the Philadelphia area. The Alter Foundation supports the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia and its activities. Giving through these vehicles has been rather modest of late.

BACKGROUND: Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Dennis J. Alter graduated from Temple University with his bachelor’s degree in education in 1966. He eventually joined the family business Advanta Corp., a company founded by his father in 1951. The company was one of the largest issuers of MasterCard credit cards to consumers and small businesses in the U.S. In 2009, Advanta filed for bankruptcy.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Alter was on the board of trustees of his alma mater Temple University, and strongly supports his school. He helped create Alter Hall, the home of the Fox School of Business. Other education grantmaking tracks with other institutions where the family has a personal connection. Alter and his ex-wife Gisela’s son Gabe attends Colgate University, another grantee.

ARTS & CULTURE: Alter is a trustee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art board. He supports the institution as well as the Barnes Foundation.

JEWISH CAUSES: The Alter Foundation supports the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia and its activities. The Alter Family Foundation, meanwhile, has recently directed funds to places like Tiferet Beth Israel, and Abramson Center for Jewish Life.

LOOKING FORWARD: In the early 2000s, the Alter Family Foundation was giving away six and even seven-figure sums annually. These days, giving has been quite low. However, on the heels of a divorce, perhaps Alter’s giving will take new form down the line.

CONTACT:

Alter’s foundation do not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch, but below are addresses:

Alter Family Foundation
PO Box 1507
Fort Washington, PA 19034

The Alter Foundation
PO Box 1507
Fort Washington, PA 19034

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: TotalBank; lawyer

FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Culture, Resilience, Hispanic Community, Delaware Community

OVERVIEW: Adrienne Arsht has made big grants in the arts, including to create the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami. Other interests include resilience. Through the Arsht Canon Fund, she works to increase educational opportunities and access to healthcare for Hispanic families.

BACKGROUND: Adrienne Arsht graduated from Mount Holyoke College and received her J.D. from Villanova Law School in 1966. She is the daughter of the Roxana Cannon Arsht, the first female judge in the State of Delaware, and Samuel Arsht, a prominent Wilmington attorney. Adrienne Arsht began her Delaware law career with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnel. In 1969, she joined TWA’s legal department, becoming the first woman in the company’s property, cargo and government relations departments.  In 1996, she moved to Miami to run her family-owned bank, TotalBank. From 1996 to 2007, Arsht served as chairman of the board until she sold the bank to Banco Popular Español.

ISSUES:

ARTS & CULTURE: In 2008, Arsht made a $30 million contribution to Miami’s Performing Arts Center renaming it the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. In 2012, meanwhile, she made a $10 million gift to Lincoln Center, where she’s a vice chair, creating the Adrienne Arsht Stage in Alice Tully Hall. Arsht gave $5 million in 2020 to support the Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s internship program and to support its MetLiveArts performance series. She’s also given strong support to places like the Met, Met Opera, National Gallery of Art, and Kennedy Center, home to the Adrienne Arsht Theater Fund. She sits on the board of the Kennedy Center.

RESILIENCE: Arsht spearheaded the creation of the Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience at The Atlantic Council. She gave matched a $30 million Rockefeller Foundation gift, renaming it the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, which aims to “reach one billion people with resilience solutions to climate change, migration, and security challenges by 2030.” Arsht also founded the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council in 2013 to focus on the role of South America in the trans-Atlantic community.

HISPANIC COMMUNITY: Arsht also works through the Arsht Canon Fund, an endowed fund at the Delaware Community Foundation, to increase educational opportunities and access to healthcare for Hispanic families. The fund prioritizes language and education programs, including including a Spanish literacy program called Plaza Comunitaria. It also works in college access and in educational and personal development programs for children K-12. In healthcare, the fund is interested in mental/behavioral health programs (focused on suicide prevention, drug/alcohol addiction, bullying, and other topics), while also improving access to care for Latino children.

Arsht also funded the creation of a Best Buddies chapter to serve Hispanics and African-Americans with mental disabilities.

OTHER: Arsht made a $2 million gift to Goucher College, creating the Roxana Cannon Arsht Center for Ethics and Leadership, in honor of her late mother who was an alumna. She’s also supported University of Miami, including its Arsht Ethics Programs, and a lab at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami.

LOOKING FORWARD:  With ties to New York, Miami, and Delaware, expect Arsht’s steady giving to continue.

LINK: Arsht.com

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Airlie Group LP

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Community

OVERVIEW: Dort Cameron and family move philanthropy through the Cameron Family Foundation, whose grantmaking focuses on the Northeast. Cameron steadily supports his alma mater Middlebury College.

BACKGROUND: Dort A. Cameron III. graduated with an A.B. from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. from Boston University. He served as a co-head of high-yield and convertible bonds at Drexel Burnham Lambert. Cameron went on to found Airlie Group LP.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Cameron steadily supports his school Middlebury College. Not only did he attend the school but so do his children. Other grantees have included Loomis Chaffee School, and Rippowam Cisqua. Cameron laregly funds private education outfits with which he has a connection rather than broader, public education grantmaking.

COMMUNITY: The family also earmarks funds for other organizations that work in their local community. Grantees have included Bedford Historical Society, Porter Medical Center, Bedford Free Library, Westmoreland Sanctuary, and Nantucket Cottage Hospital Foundation.

LOOKING FORWARD: Giving through the foundation hasn’t been overwhelming of late, but expect philanthropy to continue to track with established interest areas.

CONTACT:

The Cameron Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the family, but below is an address:

Cameron Family Foundation
115 E. Putnam Ave.
Greenwich, CT 06830

LINK: Dort Cameron Linkedin

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Cobb Partners, Arvida Corporation

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, International Affairs, Health & Human Services, Arts & Culture

OVERVIEW: Charles and Sue Cobb move philanthropy through the Cobb Family Foundation, which gives primarily for higher and other education, health organizations, human services, and community development.

BACKGROUND: Charles E. Cobb graduated with a B.A. in economics from Stanford University in 1958 and an M.B.A. in 1962. Cobb was the chairman and CEO of Disney Development Company and of Arvida Corporation. He was U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Iceland under President George H.W. Bush and under Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce under President Reagan. Cobb went on to become Senior Managing Director and CEO of Cobb Partners, an investment company.

Sue Cobb graduated from Stanford University and the University of Miami School of Law. As an attorney, she was partner at Greenberg Traurig. Cobb is the former U.S. ambassador to Jamaica and formerly Florida’s Secretary of State. She’s also held positions as CEO of the Florida Lottery, and three-time chair of the Miami Federal Reserve. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Cobb is former chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Miami, which the family strongly supports. The institution is home to Cobb Stadium. The family have also University of Miami’s School of Business, and its Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. The couple created the Sue M. Cobb Scholarship Foundation for Jamaican Students and Ambassador Sue McCourt Cobb Law School Scholarship at University of Miami.

Cobb is also a former trustee of several Stanford University, which the Cobbs steadily support. Other grantees have included Brunswick School, Waterside School, Baruch College Fund, and Foundation for Excellence in Education, which was launched by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in 2008. Cobb has an interest in education reform and was the founding chair of the Doctors Charter School, which the Cobbs continue to support.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: Given the couple’s work on the international stage, it’s no surprise that these causes also drive philanthropy. They sponsor the Sue M. Cobb Exemplary Diplomatic Service Award and the Charles E. Cobb Award for Success in Trade Development — the U.S. State Department worldwide awards for top non career or career ambassadors.

The foundation directs grants towards Jamaican charities including United Way of Jamaica and American Friends of Jamaica. Other grantees have included Center for Strategic and International Studies (Sue is on the board), Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, United States Diplomacy Center, and Council of American Ambassadors, where the couple are on the board of the directors.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: Grantees have included United Way of Miami-Dade, where Sue has sat on the board; Miami Heart Research Institute; American Cancer Society; Baptist Health Foundation; Dana Farber Cancer Institute; and Miami Children’s Hospital.

ARTS & CULTURE: The family have also earmarked funds for places like Perez Art Museum - PAAM, Frost Museum of Science, and Zoological Society of South Florida.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect this family’s steady giving to continue, tracking with established interest areas.

CONTACT:

The Cobb Family Foundation accepts contact at the address below:

Cobb Family Foundation Admin
4000 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Suite 470
Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 441-1700