NET WORTH: Unknown
SOURCE OF WEALTH: Greenhill & Co, Chief Executive Officer
FUNDING AREAS: Education, Environment & Animals, Arts & Culture, Health
OVERVIEW: Scott Bok and his wife Roxanne move their philanthropy through the Bok Family Foundation, which does not accept unsolicited proposals, and stays under the radar. The couple's philanthropy is focused on the Northeast, particularly Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. Starting in the late 1980s, Bok and his family began spending the weekends in northwestern Connecticut. The couple have restored a historic inn and farm in the region, and supported various environmental outfits. The couple has also bankrolled their mutual alma mater UPenn, and K-12 education.
BACKGROUND: Scott L. Bok received a a B.Sc. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1981, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Bok was a managing director in the mergers, acquisitions and restructuring department of Morgan Stanley, based out of New York and London. He also practiced mergers and acquisitions and securities law in New York with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. In 1997, Bok joined Greenhill & Co, an independent investment bank, and currently serves as CEO.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION: Both Scott and Roxanne are UPenn Class of 1981. Their son is also currently a Wharton student. The couple have steadily supported their alma mater over the years, including a gift to the Kelly Writers House and fund its visiting writers series. They've also bankrolled the Bok Family Professorship in the Humanities. The couple's foundation gave $2.3 million to University of Pennsylvania in the three most recent fiscal years available. Bok sits on the university board and on the board of Prep for Prep, a leadership and education organization for youth of color. The couple gave Prep for Prep $300,000 through their foundation in a recent fiscal year.
They've also recently supported outfits like Teach for America, The Chapin School, The Hotchkiss School, Student Sponsor Partners, and KIPP Foundation. The Boks have also supported the Cooke Center, which provides special education services, early childcare programming at Joyful Noise Trinity Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and Camfed USA, which provides education programs for girls and women in rural communities in Africa.
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS: The couple's work in this area is rooted in part in their experiences away from New York City. The couple has taken up residence in the Housatonic Valley region in Connecticut, and purchased and renovated a historic inn and later, a 115-acre farm. As Bok puts it: "Our farming operation derived from a natural love of land and wanting to protect it from development." Roxanne in particular has been strongly interested in horses, and even wrote a book about her experiences. Scott has been a member of the Berkshire Taconic Advisory Council of the Nature Conservancy. The Boks' foundation has recently funded Housatonic Valley Association, Nature Conservancy (which recently received a $400,000 grant), Wildlife Conservation Society, Scenic Hudson, and Sheffield Land Trust.
ARTS & CULTURE: The Boks' philanthropy in this category has focused on New York City, with outfits such as Roundabout Theatre Company, Museum of the City of New York, and American Museum of Natural History seeing support. The couple has also supported Shakespeare & Company in Massachusetts; the Boks lived in London for a time, where they may have whetted their appetite for the theater.
HEALTH: The couple has recently supported the Fact Foundation, which deals with breast cancer research.
LOOKING FORWARD: Bok is only in his 50s and still very much engaged in business. For now, the couple's philanthropy is fairly regional, but their work in education and the environment should be watched carefully.
CONTACT:
The Bok Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact, but below is an address:
LINKS: