Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy was inaugurated on December 10, 2001. This award, created at the centennial observance of Andrew Carnegie’s official career as a philanthropist, is given to one or more individuals who have dedicated their private wealth to the public good.
| Sl | Name | Country | Flag | Year | Awarded For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | World Central Kitchen | United States | 2022 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 65 | Stacy & Lynn Schusterman | United States | 2022 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 64 | Lyda Hill | United States | 2022 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 63 | Dolly Parton | United States | 2022 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 62 | Manilal Premchand Chandaria | Kenya | 2022 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 61 | Sir Ian Wood | Scotland | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 60 | Leonard Tow | United States | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 59 | Robert F. Smith | United States | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 58 | Morton L. Mandel | United States | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 57 | Marie-Josée Kravis and Henry R. Kravis | Canada | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 56 | Mellody Hobson and George Lucas | United States | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 55 | Anne G. Earhart | United States | 2019 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 54 | Sir James D. Wolfensohn | Australia | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 53 | Shelby White | United States | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 52 | Kristine McDivitt Tompkins | United States | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 51 | Jeff Skoll | Canada | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 50 | Julian Robertson | United States | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 49 | Azim Premji | India | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 48 | Marguerite & H. F. “Gerry” Lenfest | United States | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 47 | Mei Hing Chak | China | 2017 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 46 | David M. Rubenstein | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 45 | Robert B. Menschel and Richard L. Menschel | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 44 | Jon M. Huntsman, Sr. | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 43 | Joan and Irwin Jacobs | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 42 | The Haas Family | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 41 | Hanne and Jeremy Grantham | United Kingdom | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 40 | Charles F. Feeney | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 39 | Paul G. Allen | United States | 2015 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 38 | Janet Wolfson de Botton | United Kingdom | 2013 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 37 | Dmitry Zimin | Russia | 2013 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 36 | Marilyn H. and James H. Simons | United States | 2013 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 35 | Tom Hunter | Scotland | 2013 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 34 | Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned | Qatar | 2013 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 33 | The Pritzker Family | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 32 | The Pew Family | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 31 | Pamela and Pierre Omidyar | France | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 30 | Li Ka-shing | China | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 29 | Jo Carole and Ronald Lauder | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 28 | Evelyn and Leonard Lauder | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 27 | Fred Kavli | Norway | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 26 | Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 25 | The Danforth Family | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 24 | The Crown Family | United States | 2011 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 23 | Joan and Sanford Weill | United States | 2009 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 22 | Betty and Gordon Moore | United States | 2009 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 21 | The Koç Family | Turkey | 2009 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 20 | Michael R. Bloomberg | United States | 2009 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 19 | The Tata Family | India | 2007 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 18 | The Mellon Family | United States | 2007 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 17 | The Heinz Family | United States | 2007 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 16 | Eli Broad | United States | 2007 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 15 | The Packard Family | United States | 2005 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 14 | The Hewlett Family | United States | 2005 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 13 | Agnes Gund | United States | 2005 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 12 | Tom Farmer | Scotland | 2005 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 11 | The Cadbury Family | United Kingdom | 2005 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 10 | Aga Khan | Portugal | 2005 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 9 | The Sainsbury Family | United Kingdom | 2003 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 8 | Kazuo Inamori | Japan | 2003 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 7 | Ted Turner | United States | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 6 | George Soros | Hungary | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 5 | The Rockefeller Family | United States | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 4 | The Gates Family | United States | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 3 | Irene Diamond | United States | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 2 | Brooke Astor | United States | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. | |
| 1 | Leonore & Walter Annenberg | United States | 2001 | dedicated their private wealth to the public good. |
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2022)
World Central Kitchen
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2022
In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, award-winning Spanish-born American chef and restaurateur José Andrés founded World Central Kitchen (WCK). Cooking with others at a camp for displaced persons, Andrés, with the support of his wife, Patricia, along with business partner Rob Wilder and his wife, Robin, set out to use his gastronomic experience to provide hungry people with more than just relief during a disaster. The idea? To help spur urgent economic recovery through food.Andrew Carnegie once said, “Wealth is not to feed our egos, but to feed the hungry and to help people help themselves.” He believed that philanthropy ought to challenge the causes of social ills rather than their expressions. WCK’s vision, centering the humanity of cooking and eating together, embodies this philosophy — to tackle causes, not symptoms — in the food economy. WCK’s work is made possible by volunteers, most of whom are local to the communities they serve. The WCK team mobilizes individuals with professional cooking experience, as well as anyone willing to work the lines, help with food purchases and deliveries, or simply serve a meal with a smile.WCK is often first to the front lines. They have served more than 150 million fresh meals around the world, helping to feed the island of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and millions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They worked with the victims of the ruinous blast in Beirut and the bushfires in Australia. And WCK continues to build the largest food relief operation in Ukraine, sending trucks, trains, passenger cars, and vans across hundreds of cities and towns. WCK’s Resilience Programs strengthen sustenance security by creating systems that train chefs and school cooks, by advancing clean cooking practices, and by focusing grantmaking on farms, fisheries, and small businesses along with promoting educational and professional opportunities.World Central Kitchen has expanded traditional notions of philanthropy, putting into practice a philosophy that views food as an agent for change. Through community-based mobilizations and the expansion of opportunities and resources, WCK fights hunger while enabling economic
stability, spreading knowledge, and mitigating the damage of future disasters. Their practice of gathering for meals, fostering community through the camaraderie of breaking bread together, is a graceful expression of “giving” that resonates for all.WCK’s extraordinary operating model sets a powerful and inspirational example of empathy in action. The Selection Committee of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy believes that the spirit of their life-enhancing work — meeting people in need where they are, building community through shared connections — is a match for the bountiful spirit of our founder, who said, “The happiness of giving happiness is far sweeter than the pleasure direct.” We are honored to present the inaugural Carnegie Catalyst Award to World Central Kitchen.
Lynn & Stacy Helen Schusterman
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2022
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies represents a living tradition of giving that began at the family kitchen table. In 1967, Lynn and her late husband, Charles, pledged $500 to the United Jewish Appeal to support Israel during a moment of crisis. This was a significant financial sacrifice for the couple at the time, but giving back, even when they had little to spare, was a value they shared.Today, Lynn Schusterman, chair emerita of Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and her daughter, Stacy, chair of the organization, remain committed to the values and lessons of Jewish ethics that have inspired the family’s philanthropic work from the very beginning: to pursue justice (tzedek), to repair the world (tikkun olam), and to treat all people with dignity and civility (derekh eretz).Lynn Schusterman began the family foundation with her husband in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1987. Through her philanthropy, she has been recognized as a proud supporter of Israel, the Jewish people, and her family’s hometown of Tulsa; as an advocate for addressing child abuse and neglect; as a champion of educational opportunities for all young people; and as a pioneering funder of inclusion and equality. In 2011, Lynn Schusterman signed the Giving Pledge, a promise by the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes.Stacy Schusterman, who became more involved with the family’s philanthropy in 2011 after serving as CEO at Samson Resources for over a decade, oversees approximately $400 million in annual grantmaking that is invested in shaping more just and inclusive societies in the U.S. and Israel. She continues the work her parents began to shape joyful and inclusive Jewish communities and to strengthen Israel as a secure homeland for the Jewish people and a thriving democracy. Under her leadership, Schusterman Family Philanthropies has prioritized the advancement of racial, gender, and economic equity in the U.S. through investments in K–12 education, gender and reproductive equity, democracy and voting rights, and criminal justice reform.Over more than three decades, the Schusterman family has given more than $2 billion through their philanthropy. Among their many investments, they founded the Haruv Institute in Israel to provide training for professionals to address child abuse and neglect. They helped launch Repair the World to mobilize young Jewish adults and their communities through service and volunteerism. They have supported teacher development and the recruitment of teachers of color as part of their broader commitment to strengthening the U.S. education system. They are also major investors in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and criminal justice reform, including through their partnership with the Blue Meridian donor collaborative. The Schustermans also invest deeply in the leadership and equality of women and girls, including through their involvement in the Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity, and they have worked to help preserve safe, free, and fair access to voting.In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie describes the thoughtful, positive administration of giving as yielding the “most beneficial results” for the community. The Selection Committee of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy admires the generous optimism of the Schusterman family’s investments in building inclusive and thriving communities: they see possibility rather than impossibility in their work. Furthermore, we believe that the family’s commitment to principle is a meaningful example for faith-based communities and foundations that are seeking to empower and improve the lives of others. We applaud the Schustermans’ visionary legacy of giving; they — as did our founder with his farsighted philosophy of philanthropy — continue to make a deep and lasting impact on the communities they serve.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Lynn Schusterman and Stacy Schusterman as recipients of the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Lyda Hill
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2022
Lyda Hill believes that science is the solution to many of our most daunting challenges — and her philanthropy has been informed by that conviction as well as by her unique life journey. As a successful businesswoman and philanthropist, she invests in catalytic, solution-oriented initiatives that have the potential to impact global issues, reflecting her vision of mixing entrepreneurial vigor with a commitment to balancing profit with purpose. And yet, while taking on issues of national import, such as food security and safety, water conservation, urban green spaces, medical research, and public health, Hill remains dedicated to empowering nonprofit organizations that are improving the places closest to her heart: local communities in Colorado and Texas.Hill began her career in 1967 when she founded Hill World Travel, a market-leading travel consultancy. She spent the early part of her career building that business, moving on to prioritize venture capital investments and volunteering after selling the company in 1982. Today, philanthropy is her passion and central focus.Hill enjoyed tremendous success as an entrepreneur and businessperson, but her life was not without struggle. Because cancer claimed the lives of many in her own family, and as a breast cancer survivor herself, she began financing the type of scientific research that could — one day — lead to a cure. She recently funded the establishment of the Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, the Lyda Hill Deanship of the School of Public Health, and the newly formed Department of Biomedical Engineering at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Moon Shots Program, which works to combat and eliminate cancer, was also made possible by her generosity. These transformative gifts place both of these universities at the center of today’s innovations in biotechnology and medicine. Hill marvels at today’s preventive care options, most of which were nonexistent when she was first diagnosed — and she invests heavily in promising advances in medical research and care, launching a venture capital fund that brings breakthrough ideas to the marketplace quickly.Hill was one of the few women named to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of most generous donors in 2013, and the next year Forbes magazine singled her out as one of the top 15 entrepreneurs who give back to the community. She supports many nonprofits, including the Visiting Nurse Association, Texas 2036, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, the National Geographic Society, and many more. In the 1980s, Hill launched the Volunteer Connection, which promotes volunteerism in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This enormously effective program brought her to the attention of President Ronald Reagan, who appointed her to the Advisory Council on Private Sector Initiatives, and has since been replicated across the country.Hill has funded numerous conservation and community revitalization projects in Colorado and Texas, including the Nature Conservancy’s Mapping Ocean Wealth project, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas, and the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center in Colorado Springs. Hill also works to cultivate a diverse generation of scientists and conservationists through the IF/THEN Initiative, which supports young girls and women who are pursuing STEM careers. In 2010, Hill signed the Giving Pledge, vowing to donate the entirety of her wealth to charity and to do so largely during her lifetime.In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie wrote that the wealthy should erect “ladders upon which the aspiring can rise.” The Selection Committee of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy celebrates the many “ladders” built by Lyda Hill as she carries out her philanthropic mission with visionary generosity. We believe that her unstinting service to society, year by year, is a splendid, scientific continuation of our founder’s commitment to using wealth for the good — for the “lasting good,” as Carnegie put it — of the greater community.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Lyda Hill as a recipient of the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
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Dolly Parton
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2022
Dolly Parton’s life story reads like a fairy tale. She was born in Sevier County, Tennessee, where people struggled to make ends meet and earning a living often took priority over getting an education. From this impoverished but culturally rich region came the woman who would go on to achieve global success as a singer-songwriter, actress, and businesswoman — and as one of the entertainment world’s most generous philanthropists.Parton was the fourth in a family of 12 children, and her musical talents first emerged in the family’s one-room cabin. Her mother, the daughter of a preacher who played the fiddle, created an inspirational musical grounding for the family, entertaining her children with songs, storytelling, and Smoky Mountain folklore. Parton’s father, a sharecropper, farmer, and construction worker, was also a Pentecostal preacher, and the family was in church every Sunday. Parton made her public singing debut — in church — at the age of six. She continued to perform locally — to rising acclaim — on radio and television. The day after graduating from high school, Parton left home to pursue a musical career.There were bumps along the road, but eventually, Parton’s hard work and musical genius would lead her to success beyond her wildest dreams. Parton has 47 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career-charted singles over the past five decades. With 26 songs reaching number one on the Billboard Country charts, Parton is the winner of 11 Grammys. The first country artist honored as Grammy MusiCares Person of the Year, in 2022 she received her 51st Grammy nomination. In addition to four People’s Choice Awards, three American Music Awards, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and her induction as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Parton’s accomplishments include an Emmy Award, the authorship of a range of best-selling books, co-ownership of the Dollywood Company, and her role as founder of the Dollywood Foundation. In November, Parton will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2022.Named to Forbes magazine’s 2022 list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, Parton credits her savvy investment decisions to her father, who passed along his business acumen to his daughter. Providing career opportunities for the citizens of Sevier County, Dollywood Theme Park has become Parton’s most valuable asset — and is now the state’s most popular theme park, attracting three million visitors annually.Parton founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 to inspire the children of her home county. The goal: to achieve educational success and decrease high school dropout rates. The foundation’s initial success launched what is now its flagship program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. This children’s book-gifting program began by sending every child in Sevier County a free, age-appropriate book each month in the mail until they reached the age of five. Parton created the Imagination Library in honor of her father, who was illiterate, to make sure that all children had books in their home from the very start. She wanted the program to be stigma free, so Parton made sure that any child, regardless of background or income status, could receive books through the Imagination Library. To date, the program has gifted close to 200 million books across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland, and the foundation has plans for further expansion.Parton’s philanthropic work also includes donations to Vanderbilt University to fund pediatric infectious disease research and support for the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The Dollywood Foundation, through its My People Fund, supported hundreds of families who lost their homes during the 2016 wildfires in Sevier County, and also provides scholarship funds to local high school students to help further their education at any accredited university. Looking forward, the Dollywood Foundation continues to find ways to share the life and
legacy of Dolly Parton as an inspiration for children to dream more, learn more, care more,
and be more.In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie urges us to ponder this question: Because of the life you are living, has “one small part of the great world … been bettered just a little”? The Selection Committee of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy salutes Dolly Parton, who has done more than “a little.” With her philanthropy and her artistry, she has empowered and lifted up the citizens of her Tennessee home county as well as millions more around the world. We believe that her many philanthropic achievements embody the values of our founder, who, with us, would surely greet Parton with “affection, gratitude, and admiration.”The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Dolly Parton as a recipient of the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Manilal Premchand Chandaria
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2022
For nearly 70 years, renowned businessman and philanthropist Manu Chandaria has dedicated himself to providing essential human services to long-overlooked communities in Africa.Chandaria was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to Indian immigrants of modest means. His merchant father ensured that his children understood the pivotal role that education could play in their lives. Taking this guidance to heart, Chandaria embarked on a quest for knowledge that would take him from primary school in Kenya to secondary and undergraduate studies in India — and then on to the U.S., where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Oklahoma.When Chandaria returned to Kenya in 1951, the family’s small business was expanding into the aluminum and steel industries. This positioning — bolstered by hard work and fierce dedication — became the platform from which the Comcraft Group would grow into a multibillion-dollar conglomerate with a presence today in over 40 countries. Chandaria applied his engineering skills and scholarly acumen to the company’s leadership, while going on to become founding chairman of the East African Business Council and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance.Chandaria is a devoted follower of Jainism, and once the business was set on course, he turned to an important principle of his faith: service to others. Established in 1955, the Chandaria Foundation supports educational, health care, and life enrichment programs that continue to benefit thousands of Kenyans — and his family would eventually set up charitable trusts in many of the African countries in which Comcraft operates. Chandaria also chaired the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund, which develops rehabilitative and preventive programs for homeless children and families. The recipient of six honorary degrees, Chandaria has also served in leadership roles at various Kenyan universities.In addition to funding academic scholarships, Chandaria was instrumental in endowing the Chandaria School of Business at United States International University–Africa and the Chandaria Centre for Performing Arts at the University of Nairobi, among numerous other educational initiatives. The Chandaria Foundation also invests in the strengthening of health care infrastructures in Kenya, including support for the Chandaria Accident and Emergency Centre at Nairobi Hospital, the Chandaria Cancer and Chronic Disease Centre in Eldoret, and the Chandaria Medical Centre at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital in Nairobi.In an interview with African Philanthropy Forum, this celebrated advocate for service to society said, “The wealth that you have is not yours. You are only the trustee of the wealth you have.” Asked what he would change if he could live his life over, Chandaria responded with characteristic humility and compassion: he would have started serving others sooner.In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie observed that the rich have it in their power to create “benefactions from which the masses of their fellows will derive lasting advantage.” The Selection Committee of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy believes that Manu Chandaria’s farsighted generosity will continue to inspire and empower people in Kenya and across the African continent for generations to come. Indeed, the Chandaria Foundation’s projects have created a legacy of healthier and better-educated Africans while helping to mobilize the continent’s next generation of business leaders. We applaud Manu Chandaria’s many philanthropic achievements; they align beautifully with our founder’s philosophy of philanthropy.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Manu Chandaria as a recipient of the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2019)
Sir Ian Wood
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie described how the privileged class could benefit society by creating “ladders upon which the aspiring can rise.” The life-changing impact of Sir Ian Wood’s philanthropy exemplifies that principle, offering hope that extends from the classrooms of Scotland to the fields of sub-Saharan Africa.Accolades have followed businessman Sir Ian Wood since his early days starting out in his family’s fishing business in Aberdeen, Scotland. His far-ranging vision helped grow the modest outfit serving a local community into a behemoth energy company employing 43,000 people in diversified operations in more than 50 countries. As chairman and chief executive, Sir Ian took the Wood Group public in 2002, eventually leading it to become listed in the UK FTSE 100 index.Already a benefactor to public works projects in Scotland, Sir Ian decided to retire from the Wood Group in 2012 in order to commit fully to the work of The Wood Foundation, which he had established with his family in 2007.According to Sir Ian, “We all have an underlying responsibility in this world for each other,” and The Wood Foundation is his vehicle for carrying out that mission. In Tanzania and Rwanda, The Wood Foundation’s Venture Philanthropy Transforming Livelihoods in Africa stream of activity has extended long-term credit to 70,000 smallholder tea farmers, while providing in-depth operational and marketing support that has enabled those farmers to expand their tea fields and their earnings. The foundation also operates field schools that help 3,000 new farmers annually to develop essential agronomic skills. Through this work, The Wood Foundation Africa has significantly enhanced the production and quality of tea produced in both Tanzania and Rwanda, while building the infrastructure and markets to ensure that the industry is sustainable.The Wood Foundation’s Developing Young People in Scotland portfolio is cultivating the next generation of active citizens to contribute to the country’s future social and economic well-being. Working with local schools, the foundation has benefited thousands of young people by offering training in enterprise and employability skills, creating meaningful STEM learning opportunities, and alleviating child and youth poverty. Its Youth and Philanthropy Initiative takes a novel approach to encouraging young people to play a leadership role in giving back within their own communities. Each year, more than 35,000 young people take a hands-on role in channeling the foundation’s resources to local charities, developing confidence and communication skills while making a difference in their communities.The Wood Foundation is also responsible for establishing Scotland’s first private-sector-led economic development body, Opportunity North East (ONE), which aims to spark an economic renaissance in Sir Ian Wood’s home of Aberdeen City and Shire. ONE provides business and skills development and fosters technological innovation, including strategies to realize the potential of digital. It also invests heavily in people through the provision of education, training, and resources that equip local residents to thrive in a transforming economy. These initiatives are already beginning to accelerate economic growth in northeast Scotland.Sir Ian has received many honors throughout his career, including Britain’s highest civil honor, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), as well as the Queen’s highest honor, Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle (KT).The Selection Committee believes that Andrew Carnegie would celebrate the indisputable “ladders” to self-empowerment created by his fellow Scotsman,
Sir Ian.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Sir Ian Wood as a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Leonard Tow
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
Andrew Carnegie believed that the greatest gift of his philanthropy was the ability “to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so.” Through his philanthropy, Leonard Tow advocates for society’s most vulnerable, funding vital programs that strengthen communities and provide individuals with the opportunity for self-advancement.As a young man, Dr. Tow set his sights beyond his working-class neighborhood during his studies at Brooklyn College. While there he met his wife, Claire, and earned a bachelor’s degree. He went on to obtain a PhD in economic geography from Columbia University.After teaching for several years, Dr. Tow left academia for the private sector. His business ventures took him to far-flung locales in Africa, South Asia, and Europe. In the mid-1960s, he began working in the then-nascent cable industry, where he demonstrated his business acumen by helping to expand one early cable TV company’s customer base from 50,000 to 1 million subscribers over the course of several years.Eventually, Dr. Tow decided to strike out on his own, starting Century Communications in the early 1970s with $22,000 and a line of credit. By 1999, it had grown to become the nation’s fifth-largest cable television company. After selling Century Communications, Dr. Tow decided to focus on growing the foundation he and his wife had earlier established.Today, The Tow Foundation strives to help those in greatest need. It pursues that goal by supporting four grant-making domains: criminal and juvenile justice reform, medical research, higher education, and culture.Through this multifaceted philanthropic approach, the foundation aims to promote racial equity, helping others to “achieve success in their own lives, to alleviate pain and suffering, and to offer opportunities for joy.” That commitment is exemplified at New York City’s renowned Public Theater, where the foundation supports multiple projects, including a dynamic partnership with Brooklyn College and a Mobile Unit that brings the Public’s programs into prisons, shelters, and community centers across the city’s five boroughs.One of The Tow Foundation’s overarching goals is to reform the criminal justice system as well as to help former prisoners reintegrate into society through education, leadership development, employment, health care, housing, and arts programs.Under the visionary leadership of Dr. Tow and the late Claire Tow, the foundation became and remains a champion for the dignity of the incarcerated. Today, the foundation continues to be a powerful expression of Dr. Tow’s determination to help build “a society where all people have the opportunity to enjoy a high quality of life and have a voice in their community.”The Selection Committee believes that Andrew Carnegie would commend Dr. Tow’s support for self-empowerment and his vision of a more just world.The Carnegie family of institutions is privileged to welcome Dr. Leonard Tow as a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Robert F. Smith
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie directed the wealthy to do “what is practicable now, with the next step possible in our day and generation” to address the problems of the world. Robert F. Smith’s bold philanthropy aligns directly with Carnegie’s vision, as evidenced by his strategic investments in society and his powerful appeals for others to join him in giving back to their communities.The value of education was instilled in Robert Smith from a young age. His parents both earned PhDs and worked as teachers before becoming high school principals. Following in their footsteps, Mr. Smith received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Cornell and then earned an MBA from Columbia University.After business school, Mr. Smith joined Goldman Sachs, where he rose to become co-head of Enterprise Systems and Storage at the investment bank in Silicon Valley. In 2000 he left to set up his private equity and venture capital firm, Vista Equity Partners. As founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity, now the fourth-largest enterprise software company in the world, Mr. Smith oversees a portfolio of over 60 software companies and more than $50 billion of cumulative capital commitments.Mr. Smith’s philanthropy honors the sacrifices and contributions of his parents, grandparents, and African American ancestors who paved the way for his remarkable achievements. His giving includes significant support for the educational and professional advancement of African Americans. That commitment was made manifest during a recent commencement speech at Morehouse College, in which he shocked the entire assembly by announcing a grant to eliminate the student loan debt of the 2019 graduating class. Mr. Smith used the occasion to encourage students to give back to their communities and to “make sure that every class has the same opportunity going forward.”While that life-changing gift earned worldwide attention, it is only one example of Mr. Smith’s generosity. He also champions the vital role of the arts by funding music education programs for K–12 students and through his involvement in Carnegie Hall, where he has served as the chair of the board of trustees since 2016. He is also president and founding director of Fund II Foundation, which supports a range of initiatives like InternX to create opportunity for underrepresented minorities entering the workforce. The foundation also contributes generously in the fields of health, the environment, and human rights.Mr. Smith’s devotion to preserving and sharing stories of the African American experience prompted him to make the largest private donation to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Fund II Foundation also sponsored the groundbreaking “1619 Project” published by the New York Times. Through these efforts, Mr. Smith aims to lift up and celebrate the vital contributions of African Americans to our nation, to show that “African Americans are at the center of it all.”The Selection Committee believes that Andrew Carnegie would admire Mr. Smith’s emphasis on education and support for current and future generations.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Robert F. Smith as a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
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Morton L. Mandel
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
Throughout his career Morton Mandel has made it a priority to “invest in people with the values, ability, and passion to change the world.” By developing the next generation of innovators, creators, and achievers, Mr. Mandel echoes Andrew Carnegie, who observed in 1908: “It is the leaders who do the new things that count.” Perhaps like Carnegie, the educational and leadership initiatives supported by this successful, self-made businessman also reflect an understanding of what it takes to rise from humble beginnings to great success.Privilege did not come easily to Mr. Mandel, but the hardships of his youth imbued him with the importance of family, a strong work ethic, and an abiding allegiance to a civil society. Growing up, he witnessed the remarkable sacrifices of his working mother to ensure the dignity of others in their community. Such selflessness and self-reliance became hallmarks of Mr. Mandel’s philanthropy.After high school, Mr. Mandel enrolled in Adelbert College, now Case Western Reserve University, but left before completing his degree to join his brothers Jack and Joseph to co-found Premier Automotive Supply Co. After enlisting in the Army in World War II, Mr. Mandel was offered the opportunity to study engineering at Pomona College and UC-Berkeley as part of his military service. Just 16 hours short of a degree in chemistry, he separated from the Army and chose to rejoin his brothers at their company.Mr. Mandel later became chairman and CEO of their company. Together, the Mandels made astute business decisions and the company grew rapidly, eventually becoming a publicly traded company in 1960. Recognizing their good fortune, Mr. Mandel and his brothers wanted to give back. In 1953, they established the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation to broaden, formalize, and add structure to the generous giving that by then had become second nature for the trio.The foundation is committed to fostering “just, inclusive, compassionate, and democratic societies” in the United States and Israel. Its strategic approach is based on investments in people with the will and the talent to change the world for the better, cultivating leaders who can rise to the demands of complex times.Since his brothers passed away, Morton Mandel has made it his mission to sustain and expand the impact of their foundation. As part of that effort, he has established the Mandel Center for the Humanities at Brandeis University and the Mandel School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The foundation also awarded a generous grant for a new building and programs for the Mandel Institute for Social Leadership at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Recently the foundation awarded a substantial grant to the Cleveland Clinic to establish the Mandel Global Leadership and Learning Institute. The impact of Mr. Mandel’s giving is seen not only through those institutions, but through their alumni, who are making a difference in fields ranging from education to health care, and beyond.In addition to the philanthropic activities of his foundation, Mr. Mandel and his wife, Barbara, also give generously as a couple. In 2018, the Mandels bolstered the capital of their foundation by selling their highly valued art collection at Sotheby’s. The proceeds of the sale have been used to further advance the foundation’s philanthropic goals.Mr. Mandel’s unwavering belief in the value of leadership and education can also be seen his own life: he made the ambitious decision to return to Case Western Reserve University, where, in 2013, he completed the bachelor’s degree that he had started 75 years earlier.The Selection Committee applauds Morton Mandel’s exceptional tradition of giving and believes his efforts to better society reflect the spirit of Andrew Carnegie’s philosophy.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Morton Mandel as a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Marie-Josée Kravis & Henry R. Kravis
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
Andrew Carnegie once said, “Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community.” Marie-Josée Kravis, a prominent economist who also serves as vice chair and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, and Henry R. Kravis, one of the pioneers of private equity investment, are paragons of Carnegie’s philosophy of giving.The Kravises stand among today’s most active philanthropists, and their generosity spans diverse interests, including education, arts and culture, community development, healthcare, and science. Their magnanimity has touched many causes, enriching and improving lives in New York and across the country.Throughout their careers, the Kravises have been deeply involved as both benefactors and leaders of the institutions they support. Ms. Kravis’s philanthropic commitments include chairing the Sloan Kettering Institute and presiding over the Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music, one of the world’s most prestigious awards for emerging composers. For 14 years, she served as the president of the board of trustees of the Museum of Modern Art.Mr. Kravis takes time from his role as co-CEO of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., the global investment firm that he cofounded in 1976, to chair Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, a free eight-year program providing low-income youth with academic support and mentoring. The nonprofit prepares underserved public high school students for college, initially by helping them with the college application process and later supporting their studies and career development to ensure they meet their academic and professional goals. Under Mr. Kravis’s extraordinary leadership, the organization has achieved a phenomenal track record of getting students to-and-through college: 100 percent of participants earn admission to college and 90 percent graduate from college, results that far outpace the current countrywide graduation rate.Together, the Kravises endowed a cutting-edge Center for Molecular Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering, which aims to revolutionize cancer care through individualized therapies derived from the tumors of patients. They’ve also funded a transformational research center at Rockefeller University, where Mr. Kravis has also served as vice chair. The Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College runs leadership and social innovation workshops, conferences, and programs, as well as supporting innovative leadership research.The Selection Committee believes that Andrew Carnegie would have marveled at the impact and spirit of the Kravises’ philanthropy, and their passionate engagement in its administration.The Carnegie family of institutions is privileged to welcome Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis as recipients of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Mellody Hobson & George Lucas
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie wrote that the privileged are capable of organizing “benefactions from which the masses will derive lasting advantage.” Through their philanthropy, Mellody Hobson and George Lucas invest in education, arts, and culture to counter disadvantage, with programs promoting personal development, scholastic achievement, and professional accomplishment.Like Andrew Carnegie, Mr. Lucas describes education as the “foundation of our democracy and a stepping-stone for youth to reach their full potential.” The legendary filmmaker credits his undergraduate education at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts with giving him the right tools to flourish in a competitive industry, while a degree from Princeton University propelled Mellody Hobson from modest origins to become the co-CEO and co-president of Ariel Investments. Together, the director and the preeminent investor have designated the George Lucas Family Foundation as the vehicle for committing their combined talents and resources to the betterment of society.In 1991, Mr. Lucas established the George Lucas Educational Foundation, with the aim of transforming K–12 education through project-based, social-emotional learning, comprehensive assessment, teacher development, integrated studies and technology. The foundation’s mission is for all students to “acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives.”In addition to her philanthropic work, Ms. Hobson also chairs After School Matters, a nonprofit whose quality programs encourage the intellectual and creative expression of inner-city teens in Chicago, while also ensuring their outstanding academic achievement. Its Freshmen On-Track program has a remarkable record of supporting student success: 90 percent of participants graduate from high school — 11 percentage points higher than the state’s average graduation rate for low-income students.Education is a cornerstone of the George Lucas Family Foundation, but its philanthropic efforts extend much further. Acknowledging the extraordinary stresses and demands placed on those with socioeconomic disadvantages, a results-focused approach meets the wide-ranging needs of the people it serves. Together, Ms. Hobson and Mr. Lucas support organizations that are making the world healthier, safer, and more vibrant, including childhood development and mentorship programs, gun control and environmental advocacy groups, museums and cultural institutions, as well as medical institutions.The Selection Committee believes that Andrew Carnegie would applaud the generous investment in disadvantaged communities made by Ms. Hobson and Mr. Lucas, benefiting generations to come.The Carnegie family of institutions is honored to welcome Mellody Hobson and George Lucas as recipients of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Anne G. Earhart
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2019
Andrew Carnegie passionately advocated doing “real and permanent good in the world.” Anne Earhart’s unwavering allegiance to that ideal began with investments to improve the lives and well-being of disadvantaged women; she later expanded her efforts and funds to focus on environmental issues. Her dedication to that cause reflects an understanding of the existential importance of protecting our natural resources, but it is also personal — she grew up loving the outdoors and wants to ensure that nature is preserved for future generations.The ocean played an integral role in Ms. Earhart’s upbringing and, as with many Los Angeles families, sunny days were frequently spent at the beach with loved ones. The setting offered a picturesque backdrop for this joyful period in her life. Then, on a trip to Baja California, her boat encountered a group of gray whales at sea. The breathtaking display planted the seeds for Ms. Earhart’s life’s calling, and indelibly marked the beginning of her journey to environmental philanthropy.When Ms. Earhart married a forester and moved to South America, she witnessed devastating environmental destruction in Paraguay and Brazil firsthand. In response, she learned as much as she could about environmental issues and began engaging with leaders in the field of conservation. Upon her return to the U.S., she committed to the cause in earnest by joining the board of the World Wildlife Fund, where she developed an intense appreciation for biodiversity.Although her giving initially focused on supporting health and human services organizations in Southern California, her commitment to environmental causes gradually reshaped the Marisla Foundation into a conservationist powerhouse. Today, it provides substantial and consistent funding to more than 600 nonprofits with missions focused on addressing global environmental challenges. Grantees include Oceans 5, Plastic Solutions Fund, Partners for a New Economy, and the Health and Environmental Funders Network.Reflecting Ms. Earhart’s lifelong love of the ocean, Marisla has emerged as a particularly effective leader in marine conservation, working strategically to mitigate habitat destruction, pollution, and overfishing. Because saving the world’s oceans is too monumental an undertaking for a single foundation, Marisla forged dynamic partnerships with several other foundations committed to that cause. Together, they created Oceana, the first major nonprofit committed to the restoration and protection of the world’s oceans. Thus far, Ms. Earhart’s philanthropy has helped preserve 4.5 million square miles (and counting) of ocean.Marisla’s leadership on environmental health issues also has roots in Ms.Earhart’s personal experience. After becoming a mother, she began learning about the ill-effects of environmental pollutants on children. Today, Marisla invests heavily in organizations seeking solutions to health threats caused by toxic chemicals. The foundation also supports organizations like Environmental Health News, which helps experts educate journalists and the public about environmental health issues.This extraordinary range of accomplishment places Anne Earhart prominently within the ranks of today’s great conservationists. Modestly, she credits her schooling at the hands of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart for instilling the values and conscience that make her work possible, and her early encounter with that pod of gray whales for igniting her passion for protecting our planet.The Selection Committee believes that Andrew Carnegie would have been inspired by the spirit, tenacity, and scope of Ms. Earhart’s philanthropic efforts to save the world’s food chain, oxygen, and way of life.The Carnegie family of institutions is privileged to welcome Anne G. Earhart as a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2017)
Sir James D. Wolfensohn
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
The life of James Wolfensohn has been characterized by principled leadership, compassion, and generosity. Like Andrew Carnegie before him, as a reformer Mr. Wolfensohn takes to heart the maxim that democracy and excellence are not mutually exclusive.The remarkable attributes that led to Mr. Wolfensohn’s achievements emerged at an early age. Born in Sydney, Australia, to a loving and cultured family of modest means, he entered high school at the age of 10 and college at 15. He joined the fencing team during his later years at university, strictly to fulfill the prerequisite for a sixth teammate at national championships. This (initially passive) membership led to a steadfast commitment, eventually earning him a place on the 1956 Australian Olympic fencing team. He went on to receive a BA and an LLB from the University of Sydney, serve as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, and earn an MBA from Harvard University. These accomplishments all contributed to the formation of the strong character for which Mr. Wolfensohn would become world renowned.He began his career practicing law in Sydney, and returned there to transition into banking after graduating from Harvard. His rise in the field took him to London and, eventually, New York, where he was a senior executive at Salomon Brothers. In 1980 he became a naturalized U.S. citizen and established his own investment firm, James D. Wolfensohn, Inc. Beyond his career in business, his philanthropy has benefitted numerous cultural and social causes, both in the United States and abroad. He has also donated his time to a range of organizations. As chairman of Carnegie Hall, he worked with the hall’s president, Isaac Stern, to return the New York City landmark to its former glory, spearheading renovations and securing the financial stability of the world-famous auditorium. He did much the same for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as chairman helping to relieve that institution’s financial woes. And he committed more than 30 years of insightful leadership to the Institute for Advanced Study, where he now serves as chairman emeritus. Undeterred by convention, Mr. Wolfensohn applies himself in unexpected directions, for example taking up the cello—and becoming proficient in the instrument—at the age of 50. Years later he would remark that he advanced in life without any self-imposed limitations.
Shelby White
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
Shelby White’s extraordinary philanthropic accomplishments extend across as wide a range as Andrew Carnegie’s own philanthropy. Ms. White’s interests include education, libraries, museums, archaeology, parks, science, and the arts and humanities, and the multifaceted breadth of her giving is ever evolving.Ms. White was raised in Brooklyn, New York, in an immigrant household. Her parents’ support for the needy, including refugees from Nazi Germany, made a lasting impression on the young girl. As a nine-year-old she used a Camp Fire Girls donut sale to help a neighborhood nursery. Her childhood experiences and her thirst for knowledge proved invaluable as she earned a bachelor’s degree at Mount Holyoke College and a master’s at Columbia University. She then married investment banker Rodney L. White. After her husband passed away in 1969, Ms. White began a career in financial journalism. By then a budding philanthropist, she would later donate the Rodney White Country Garden to The New York Botanical Garden.In 1983 Ms. White married Leon Levy, the renowned financier and philanthropist who in the 1950s had founded the Jerome Levy Foundation, named after his father, which focused on academic freedom and civil liberties. Shelby White and Leon Levy both believed ardently in the importance of giving, and the couple became a philanthropic force. Their passion for ancient civilizations led to the establishment of the Shelby White and Leon Levy Program for Archaeological Publications at Harvard University, and they sponsored the excavations of Ashkelon, Israel. Their love for the arts resulted in the creation of the Shelby White and Leon Levy Travel Grants at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts, which enable graduate students to travel the world to study original works of art. The couple also donated the Leon Levy and Shelby White Court to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the centerpiece of the museum’s new Greek and Roman Galleries. During their years together, Shelby White and Leon Levy expanded their support to other areas, including economics, neuroscience, human rights, and civil liberties.
Kristine McDivitt Tompkins
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie places parks in “the very front rank of benefactions,” praising their positive effects on body and spirit. Continuing Douglas Tompkins’s vision, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins has made immeasurable advances toward the preservation and restoration of the world’s great ecosystems, bringing to life Mr. Carnegie’s words more than he could have imagined.Mrs. Tompkins has always been connected to the outdoors. Raised most of her life on a ranch in southern California, as a teenager she spent summers working for Chouinard Equipment, a rock climbing equipment company, and skied competitively at the College of Idaho. After graduation she returned to Chouinard Equipment and helped its founder grow his operation into Patagonia, the world-renowned outdoor apparel leader and “anti-corporation.” As CEO over a 20-year period, Mrs. Tompkins was widely credited with the company’s values-driven business practices and activism on behalf of the wilderness it celebrates.In 1993 Mrs. Tompkins retired from Patagonia and married Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face and cofounder of Esprit. With a shared passion for the outdoors, the two embarked upon a crusade that would push boundaries, raise standards, and, ultimately, make history. The result was Tompkins Conservation, a powerhouse of initiatives that lends unwavering commitment to parks and their restoration, along with sustainable agriculture and environmental activism.
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Jeff Skoll
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie urged the wealthy to do “what is practicable now; with the next step possible in our day and generation.” When eBay’s IPO transported Jeff Skoll, the company’s first full-time employee and president, to extraordinary wealth, he began to deliberate the best ways to return his wealth to society. The result is a sophisticated set of organizations that are designed to meet, and are indeed meeting, some of the greatest threats facing humanity.Mr. Skoll was born in Montreal and moved with his family to Toronto when he was 14. At that age his ambition was to become a writer, one whose stories would, as he put it, make “the world feel smaller and more interconnected,” just as many of his favorite authors did for him. Even then, however, he understood that a writing career might require support from a “day job.” Also around this time his father was diagnosed with cancer, speaking with regret of all that he had yet to experience in life. Fortunately, the elder Mr. Skoll recovered from his illness, but this trying period for the family made a deep impression on the son, ultimately helping to propel Jeff Skoll toward academic and professional success.Mr. Skoll earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Stanford University. He then set out to establish himself in Silicon Valley. His early success at eBay set the stage for another phase of his remarkable career, this time in philanthropy.
Julian Robertson
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
Writing in the North American Review in 1906, Andrew Carnegie declared that wealth “should be administered as a sacred trust . . . for the public good.” As his financial empire attained extraordinary success, Julian Robertson—like Mr. Carnegie before him—generously committed his knowledge, time, and resources to help others to advance as well.Mr. Robertson was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, and attended Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. By the time he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he had already established a record of excellence and integrity. His greatest accomplishments, however, were yet to come.Over the course of two decades at Kidder Peabody, Mr. Robertson rose steadily through the ranks. Starting as a sales trainee, he eventually became CEO of Kidder’s investment advisory subsidiary, Webster Management Corporation. He cofounded Tiger Management in 1980. Under his leadership it grew exponentially into one of the largest and most successful hedge funds of its time—and Mr. Robertson would become known as the “Wizard of Wall Street.”
Azim Premji
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
Doing “real and permanent good” is a defining pillar of Andrew Carnegie’s vision of philanthropy. The life of Azim Premji embodies that vision.Mr. Premji came of age at the dawn of India’s independence, a period that he has described as one of hope, idealism, and sacrifice for the greater good. The heroes of this era included his mother, a medical doctor by training who spent nearly 50 years funding, building, and running a charitable hospital for children with polio and cerebral palsy. Mr. Premji credits his mother as a guide and inspiration for his philanthropy.As a young man, Mr. Premji went to Stanford University to study engineering. When his father died suddenly in 1966, he returned to India and assumed responsibility for the family business. Western India Vegetable Products Ltd. performed well and advanced under his leadership. Notwithstanding this success, by the arrival of the 1980s Mr. Premji recognized the potential of technology and gradually shifted the company’s focus. He renamed it WIPRO and began specializing in the production of minicomputers. The company became renowned for IT, business process outsourcing, and R&D services. This transformation lifted an already successful company to new heights and extraordinary wealth.
Marguerite & H. F. “Gerry” Lenfest
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
In The Gospel of Wealth, Andrew Carnegie advocated that the rich man act as a “trustee for the poor.” When the sale of their company transported Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest into a new realm of privilege, the couple conceived of a plan that could have been scripted by Mr. Carnegie himself.An attorney by training, Mr. Lenfest joined Davis Polk, one of New York’s most distinguished law firms, then transitioned into publishing in Philadelphia. He eventually purchased two local cable companies that became Lenfest Communications. Mrs. Lenfest, meanwhile, taught elementary school for several years. Both the Lenfests attribute their accomplishments to the discipline they acquired at school and university, so it is no surprise that education became a cornerstone of their philanthropy.The couple are deeply involved in the operations of the Lenfest Foundation, which they established in 2000. With programs that extend from preschool to university, the foundation supports “promising strategies that will have a life-changing impact” on children in Pennsylvania. The Lenfest College Scholarship Program, for example, has had an immeasurable impact over many years on students in rural Pennsylvania. In 2011 the foundation’s board of directors expanded its focus to the underprivileged youth of Philadelphia. Making this at-risk demographic a priority, the foundation developed a multiyear, comprehensive plan focusing on career development and leisure-time programs for early learners and junior high school students. The scope of the Lenfests’ philanthropy, however, reaches far beyond Pennsylvania, the state they love and have long called home.
Mei Hing Chak
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2017
Mei Hing Chak is a self-made businesswoman whose extraordinary accomplishments—in both commerce and philanthropy—in many ways mirror those of storied industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.Born and raised in southern China’s Guangdong province, Ms. Chak grew up in a humble household in one of the country’s more prosperous regions. Eager to begin a professional life following high school, she used a small loan from her mother to launch a modest garment business. While not highly successful, the business provided a valuable opportunity to gain expertise, and the experience caused her to set her sights firmly on a different field—the furniture industry.Ms. Chak’s remarkable dedication to her business persuaded her to forego the comforts of an apartment and, like many of her workers, she lived in the factory in order to save money. Her efforts paid off as her original concept gradually expanded into the largest furniture logistics enterprise in China at that time. Furthermore, she devised a new business model, augmenting the company’s exponential growth. This led her to found the extremely successful Heungkong Group, a conglomerate specializing in furniture retail and logistics, commercial circulation, finance, natural resources and energy, education, healthcare, and property management. Having achieved tremendous success in business, Ms. Chak turned her attention toward an even greater calling—philanthropy.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2015)
David M. Rubenstein
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
David M. Rubenstein’s life did not turn out as he expected. He was born and raised in modest, bluecollar circumstances in Baltimore, and the making of large sums of money, and the disposition of them, was never on his radar screen. The idea that he would one day be a philanthropist would hardly have occurred to the Duke University undergrad, or the University of Chicago law student, whose goal was to win scholarships and eventually practice law and work in public service. He did these things—working for a New York City law firm and as domestic policy advisor for President Jimmy Carter—but not for long. Instead, David Rubenstein cofounded The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, which today manages more than $200 billion from 40 offices around the world.
Menschel, Richard L. and Robert B.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
New York-based brothers Richard and Robert Menschel both share Andrew Carnegie’s philosophy that with wealth comes a responsibility to contribute to the world’s betterment and a more open and just society. Their dedication and talent took them both to the top of the investment banking field at prestigious Goldman Sachs, and they have been giving back in countless ways for decades.Richard Menschel is as an art collector, philanthropist, and sponsor of health, education, and the arts. He attended the Bronx High School of Science, graduated from Syracuse University, and became an officer in the U.S. Air Force. While stationed in Turkey, he contracted polio, but that illness would not constrain his life. Armed with a gift for leadership and a sense of humor, he graduated from Harvard Business School and joined Goldman Sachs—becoming a partner and later a member of the Management Committee. He retired in 1988 and is now a senior director.
Jon M. Huntsman, Sr.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
“Rich men should be thankful for one inestimable boon. They have it in their power during their lives to busy themselves in organizing benefactions from which the masses of their fellows will derive lasting advantage, and thus dignify their own lives.” Andrew Carnegie could have been describing Jon M. Huntsman, Sr. when he wrote those words. Growing up in rural Idaho where “everyone was poor,” Huntsman would hardly have expected to become rich one day, as he mowed lawns and picked potatoes for 6 cents a bag. And he still wasn’t rich when, as a young Navy gunnery officer, he gave $50 from his $320 monthly paycheck to help veterans’ families. But the habit of giving was instilled in him during his Mormon childhood, and it’s grown deeper through the years.
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Joan and Irwin Jacobs
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
Irwin Mark Jacobs learned about giving early in life. Growing up in blue-collar New Bedford, Massachusetts, during the Great Depression, he and his family would now and then drop a few coins into a small box they kept on the table. As a boy, he understood that though they had little money, there were others with even less who needed their help. It’s a valuable lesson that’s stuck with the Jacobs family for generations. Dr. Jacobs left New Bedford to attend Cornell University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering and computer science. His masters and doctorate came from MIT, where he spent more than a decade as a professor before moving to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he and his wife, fellow Cornell alum Joan Klein Jacobs, have been living—and giving—ever since.
The Haas Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
The Haas family’s tradition of philanthropy spans four generations. It began in 1909 when Otto Haas, a German entrepreneur, brought his chemical business to Philadelphia, where it grew into a global Fortune 500 company. He founded the family’s first philanthropic venture with his dynamic American wife, Phoebe, who, born on the North Dakota frontier, traveled to Vassar and Berkeley to earn undergraduate degrees in mathematics and astronomy, and was among the earliest American women to earn a PhD in astronomy. Otto and Phoebe Haas created the Phoebe Waterman Foundation in 1945 to help fatherless children and support medical and educational institutions. Andrew Carnegie, still alive when Otto Haas arrived in America, might have inspired the fellow immigrant with his advice: “A man’s first duty is to make a competence and be independent. But his whole duty does not end here. It is his duty to do something for his needy neighbours who are less favoured than himself.”
Hanne and Jeremy Grantham
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
Jeremy and Hanne Grantham have chosen one overarching focus for their philanthropy—the environment. From their perspective, if earth’s environmental crises aren’t dealt with quickly, nothing else they do will really matter.As the cofounder and strategist of investment firm Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co., Jeremy Grantham earned a global reputation for identifying and avoiding speculative market bubbles. Now he sees a new kind of disaster looming—one he calls the “carbon bubble”— and it’s not getting enough of the right kind of attention. As he told the Guardian, “I find the parallels between how some investors refuse to recognize trends, and our reaction to some of our environmental challenges, very powerful. There is an unwillingness to process unpleasant data.” According to the outspoken philanthropist, “Anyone with a brain knows that climate change needs governmental leadership.” An equally outspoken Andrew Carnegie would surely have applauded this declaration. As he said, “The most precious citizen is the man who will go with his country or his party only if it be right, but who upon occasion hesitates not to condemn either when in his opinion it champions the wrong.”
Charles Francis Feeney
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
Charles (Chuck) F. Feeney’s life story parallels Andrew Carnegie’s in many ways. He was born to hardworking parents during the Great Depression. He was an entrepreneur as a boy—shoveling snow and selling Christmas cards door-to-door.Later, after serving in the Air Force during the Korean War and attending Cornell on the GI Bill, he drew on his boyhood experience, selling goods to American troops stationed in Europe—a business that eventually became Duty Free Shoppers, the world’s largest luxury goods retailer and the source of his fortune. But where the two men are most alike is in their philosophy of giving. Carnegie famously said, “The man who dies leaving behind him millions of available wealth, which was free for him to administer during life, will pass away unwept, unhonored, and unsung.… The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.” Upon signing the Giving Pledge, Mr. Feeney wrote, “I cannot think of a more personally rewarding and appropriate use of wealth than to give while one is living.” He has planned for his foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, to commit all its funds by 2016.
Paul G. Allen
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2015
Like Andrew Carnegie, Paul G. Allen pioneered a new industry that not only defined an era, but changed the course of history. And like Mr. Carnegie, Mr. Allen has devoted his great fortune to serving humanity. While that generosity takes many forms, it is unified by Mr. Allen’s determination to catalyze change and search for ways to make life better for coming generations.Mr. Allen is a leading supporter for advancements in the realms of health and medicine. Last year, when the Ebola epidemic threatened to engulf western Africa, his generous donation—the world’s largest—kept emergency relief flowing and helped spark a bigger, faster global response. The year before, he gave generously to battle polio. Research at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, meanwhile, has helped accelerate neuroscience advances aimed at treating traumatic brain injuries, dementia, and paralysis. The Institute is sharing its discoveries with researchers everywhere—an innovative, open approach that is designed to accelerate a range of medical breakthroughs.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2013)
Janet Wolfson de Botton
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2013
The Wolfson Foundation has been at the forefront of British philanthropy for over fifty years. Medical research has been a particular focus of the foundation’s work. From the Royal College of Physicians to the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research; from King’s College London’s Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases to the Royal Society, the Wolfson family have been extraordinary benefactors of medical research and education. Thanks to the Wolfson’s Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, the British Museum has not lost its charm, and the National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Tate, to name just a few of the better known institutions, have been able to preserve and enhance their collections of art and artifacts for the enjoyment of millions of visitors. The family’s largesse also extends around the world, with particular attention to the family’s Jewish heritage. Thanks to the Wolfson Foundation, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been able to build teaching and research laboratories, Tel Aviv University is home to the Wolfson Applied Materials Research Centre, and the Weizmann Institute of Science has been equipped to perform semiconductor research.
Dmitry Zimin
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2013
Dmitry Borisovich Zimin, is the founder of the Dynasty Foundation. He created the first family philanthropy in post-Soviet Russia and, in so doing, blazed a trail for a new tradition of philanthropy in an old and venerable culture. As the first recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy from Russia, he provides inspiration to other entrepreneurs and is a role model for sharing his success and passions with his country. He has proven that a life of accomplishment can serve many purposes, including providing opportunities to those who aspire to emulate his success and his many achievements.
Marilyn H. & James H. Simons
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2013
Jim and Marilyn Simons are extraordinary recipients of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy not only because of their record of giving, but because of the path they took to become modern-day exemplars of Andrew Carnegie’s legacy.His pioneering use of mathematical models and scientific principles to achieve success in business and then his decision to retire from business and devote the rewards of that success to do real and permanent good in this world is a testament to the path that Andrew Carnegie forged.
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Sir Thomas Blane Hunter
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2013
Sir Tom Hunter, as a businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, is a true disciple of Andrew Carnegie. Not only does he share his Scottish birthplace with the man for whom the Carnegie Medal is named, but his life stories have striking similarities, and his philosophies of giving are grounded in the same deeply-held values. Where Carnegie famously said “In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so; to give those who desire to rise the aids by which they may rise,” Sir Tom articulated the guiding principle that philanthropy ought to provide a “hand up” rather than a “hand out.” He coined the term “venture philanthropy” to illustrate his core belief that a commitment to good work can be leveraged to encourage more, thus amplifying and multiplying the effect of his generosity. This approach to philanthropy has produced remarkable results throughout Scotland, the UK, and the world.
Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2013
Her Highness, a visionary, is leading Qatar in the Arab region and the world to re-imagine the role of women, to reconsider the importance of universal access to education, to reaffirm the importance of family, to restore dignity to children with special needs, to reengage her nation in the pursuit of scientific discovery and to resolve that Qatar will be a model of transformation, innovation, and advancement.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2011)
The Pritzker Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
Pritzker family, you live by the motto, “Giving back to the community.” This commendable family tradition began with Nicholas Pritzker, who came to Chicago from Ukraine in the late 19th century. He worked his way from tailor’s assistant to lawyer, all the while sacrificing time and resources to help found an orphanage. Descendants of Nicholas Pritzker have lived and worked in Chicago ever since, with each succeeding generation growing up in the tradition of giving. While much of your family benevolence is concentrated on your home city, you also have made a significant national impact with your support of social justice, education, health research, child development, and more.
The Pew Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
The Pew family’s philanthropy began anonymously and, through the years, has been both remarkable and admirable for seeking no earthly reward or recognition. We are honored that you allowed us to include you in this year’s accomplished group of medalists. The board of The Pew Charitable Trusts, which includes descendants of the founders, fittingly agreed to break with tradition and accept an award for what Andrew Carnegie once described as the “serious and difficult task of wise distribution.” We are overjoyed to pay tribute to you, acknowledging the tradition of family philanthropy and integrity that The Pew Charitable Trusts embodies.
Pierre & Pamela Omidyar
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
Andrew Carnegie believed in strategic philanthropy. In his words, “The main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves … to give those who desire to rise the aids by which they may rise.” Pamela and Pierre Omidyar’s philanthropic activities would surely meet with Mr. Carnegie’s approval. Direct experience has shown them the life-changing possibilities of one person’s great idea. Guided by their belief in the inherent capability of all people and the power of markets—which inspired the creation of eBay and enabled people to develop trust through transparent trading practices—they launched their own far-reaching efforts to make the world a better place.
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Li Ka-shing
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
Li Ka-shing, is an extraordinary philanthropist. Like Andrew Carnegie in his time, Li is forging new paths of benevolence, demonstrating the power of using great private wealth for public good. Although he oversees two multinational groups with 250,000 employees in fifty-two nations, his true calling is running his foundation. Calling it his “third son,” he has pledged to give one-third of his fortune to support its endeavors worldwide. As he has said, “To be able to contribute to society and help those in need to build a better life—that is the ultimate meaning in life.”
Ronald Lauder & Jo Carole
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
For more than four decades Jo Carole and Ronald Lauder have been among the country’s preeminent supporters of the arts and civic causes, with an impressive portfolio of worldwide philanthropic and professional accomplishments. Ronald Lauder, as founder and chairman of Clinique Laboratories, Central European Media Enterprises, and RWL Water Group, business endeavors span the globe. The art world also knows him as a leading patron and collector. He is the founder and president of the Neue Galerie, a museum dedicated to German and Austrian art and one of New York City’s most popular institutions. In his decades-long involvement with New York’s Museum of Modern Art, he served as chairman of the board for ten years and continues to offer his guidance as honorary chairman.
Evelyn & Leonard Lauder
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
Evelyn and Leonard Lauder’s passion for improving people’s lives is legendary especially in New York City, their home. It was here in 1946 that Mr. Lauder’s mother, Estée Lauder, started the family business with four products and a belief in the possibility of beauty for all women. Later, explaining the company’s extraordinary success, she said, “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it” – a remark that could have come straight from Andrew Carnegie, a renowned self-starter himself. Like his mother, Mr. Lauder gave his best to the company for more than fifty years, which has expanded so that there are now more than twenty-nine brands available in 140 countries. In addition to business acumen, perhaps his passion for beautiful art and his willingness to work tirelessly for a worthy cause are also legacies from Estée Lauder herself.
Fred Kavli
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
I had long planned to start a foundation. I wanted to do something with long-range benefit to humanity. Starting a business and making a lot of money doesn’t make for a fulfilling life.Fred Kavli, is a philanthropist of rare vision, determination and faith. He established The Kavli Foundation, which is dedicated to the goals of advancing science for the benefit of humanity and promoting public understanding of, and support for, scientists and their work. Through this institution, he awards three $1 million Kavli Prizes every two years for outstanding achievement in nanoscience, astrophysics, and neuroscience. By shining a light on these fields, which he considers especially promising for the 21st century, and by supporting bold research at a stage too early to yield tangible or predictable results, he demonstrated how the sciences should be nurtured and protected in order to move forward. Recognizing that scientific discovery requires patience, persistence, and willingness to accept the risk of failure, his foundation takes the long view, trusting that breakthroughs will come and will lead to a better world and a better life for all.
Stanley & Fiona Druckenmiller
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller exemplify the art of quiet philanthropy. Although they shun publicity, the institutions that benefit from their abundant support heartily commend their generosity. The causes they have adopted—medical research, education and the alleviation of poverty—are ever in need.
The Danforth Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
Andrew Carnegie predicted that the day would come when we would not care how much wealth a man possessed, but how well he has served his fellows: “what he has done to make the world or the little spot where he was born a little better than he found it.” The Danforth family, we are told, have been inspired by Carnegie to live as he believed and to help make a better world.In serving the city of St. Louis and the nation through three generations, the Danforth family exemplifies the very best that a determined individual and an outstanding family can accomplish for the benefit of others. It was eighty-four years ago that William H. Danforth, a pioneer of industry who founded Ralston Purina Company, along with his wife, Adda, and children, Donald and Dorothy, created the Danforth Foundation. Working through this foundation, the family began the practice of giving unstintingly of its time and wealth for the betterment of communities and institutions in their home city of St. Louis, and for the improvement of education throughout the United States.
The Crown Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2011
The Crown family is honored for their exceptional philanthropic achievements over the course of seventy-five years. The family embodies the time-honored values of hard work and helping the less fortunate, part of an admirable and enduring inheritance. Like Andrew Carnegie, the family forebears, Arie and Ida Crown, came to this country in the 19th century in search of a better life.A believer in character, friendship, honor, and integrity, Henry Crown insisted that in America anything was possible—if you were willing to work for it. Demonstrating remarkable talent and ingenuity, along with a tremendous work ethic, Henry and his brothers launched the Material Service Corporation in 1919, which survived the Great Depression to become one of the most successful enterprises in America.Beginning in 1947, the family has annually dedicated significant resources to philanthropy. In gratitude for opportunities only possible in the United States, they have given back abundantly to country and community. They have increased their philanthropy in pace with the family’s continued success, supporting numerous national and international organizations.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2009)
Joan & Sanford Weill
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2009
Joan and Sanford Weill are honored today for their remarkable philanthropic contributions to medicine, education, and the arts. They have donated many hundreds of millions of dollars that have helped to heal suffering patients, teach knowledge-hungry students and transmit music to generations of grateful music lovers. Their largesse has helped revitalize esteemed institutions including New York’s Carnegie Hall, a member of our own Carnegie family, as well as the Weill Cornell Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences and the Weill Bugando Medical Complex in Tanzania, which proudly bear their name.
Betty & Gordon Moore
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2009
Betty and Gordon Moore are an extraordinary couple. We honor them today for their great benevolence over many decades. They are committed stewards of our planet, but have not forgotten their nation, nor their native San Francisco where their multifaceted gifts bear the mark of their care. But most of all, they champion basic science and the health of science-based institutions.Through the work of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which they established in 2000 with a gift of some $5 billion, they have made great strides maintaining the Amazon basin; fighting the extinction of our earth’s rarest species; preserving marine ecosystems and advancing the field of marine microbiology; safeguarding the salmon of the Pacific Northwest; improving patient care and nursing in Bay Area hospitals; and supporting San Francisco’s science museums.
The Koç Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2009
The late Vehbi Koç, the patriarch of the Koç family, founded his businesses upon the belief that his successes should go hand-in-hand with the prosperity of Turkey and the well-being of its people. This deeply held conviction fueled Vehbi Koç’s achievements as an entrepreneur and a humanitarian. We honor Rahmi Koç as the representative of the entire Koç family, which continues his father’s great legacy of giving.Andrew Carnegie believed that wealth is a sacred trust that must be used for the good of the community and Rahmi Koç’s commitments epitomize this ideal. We recognize him for his exemplary philanthropic accomplishments in the fields of education, health and culture.
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Michael R. Bloomberg
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2009
Like Andrew Carnegie, Michael Bloomberg is truly a self-made man. In 1981, he began a small start-up company, Bloomberg LP. Today, that company has over 275,000 subscribers to its financial news and information services. Bloomberg embodies the spirit of Andrew Carnegie: he holds dear the conviction that with great wealth comes great responsibility. As his historic public service and consummate philanthropy so clearly illustrate, he has embraced his responsibilities with great humility, yet with exuberance, dedication, and selflessness. His altruism is evident in every corner of New York City and well beyond our borders.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2007)
The Tata Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2007
The founder of the Tata family’s fortunes was Jamsetji Tata who was an Indian pioneer industrialist. The family are Indian industrialists and philanthropists who founded iron and steel works, cotton mills and power plants that contributed to India’s industrial development.The family gives away between 8 and 14 percent of the net profits from its controlling company each year to myriad causes: science, medicine, social services, health, civil society and governance, rural welfare, performing arts, education and the needs of children. Tata family funding has established pioneering institutions in social sciences, cancer research and treatment and tropical disease research. The family’s philosophy of “constructive philanthropy” has become embedded in its businesses, and has played a role in changing the traditional concept of charity throughout India. The family is considered one of the few philanthropic forces in the country with the potential to facilitate collaborative action on the problems that threaten individual, local and national development.
The Mellon Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2007
The Mellon family fortune originated with Mellon Bank, founded in 1869. The Family’s impact on philanthropic giving began with Andrew Mellon’s donation in the 1930s of his extensive art collection to provide the beginnings of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. as well as the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. In 1969 Andrew’s children Paul and Ailsa established the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which supports museums and art conservation as well as higher education and scholarship, information technology research, performing arts, conservation and the environment.
The Heinz Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2007
Henry J. Heinz was born in 1844 in the Birmingham section of Pittsburgh. He began his business by peddling prepared horseradish. After entering into a partnership and forming Heinz & Noble, they sold the product in clear bottles to prove that unlike some foods, it was totally unadulterated. Heinz bought out his partner and through his benevolent management style made the H.J. Heinz company a pioneer in labor relations. He worked tirelessly against a large segment of the processed food industry to gain passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. It inaugurated the modern food industry and guaranteed purity to all consumers. Years of hard work and innovation made the man and his products internationally known and respected.The Heinz family’s sustained philanthropic giving has supported the environment, education, economic opportunity and the arts as well as efforts to enhance the lives of women and children.
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Eli Broad
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2007
Eli Broad is a renowned business leader who built two Fortune 500 companies in different industries (KB Home and SunAmerica Inc.). As the child of immigrant parents, Eli Broad was instilled with the values of hard work, education and the dream that anything was possible. Eli and his wife, Edythe, are devoted to philanthropy as founders of The Broad Foundations. With assets of more than $2.25 billion, The Broad Foundations are focused on entrepreneurship for the public good in education, scientific and medical research, and the arts. In working to dramatically improve urban K-12 public education, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation’s major initiatives include the $1million Broad Prize for Urban Education, The Broad Superintendents Academy, The Broad Residency in Urban Education and the Broad Institute for School Boards. In advancing innovative scientific and medical research, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation focuses on the areas of inflammatory bowel disease, stem cell research and human genomics. In an unprecedented partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and the Whitehead Institute, the Broads gave $200 million to create the Eli and Edythe Broad Institute for biomedical research. In fostering public appreciation for contemporary art, The Broad Art Foundation is a lending library of more than 1,200 artworks that have been loaned to more than 400 museums and university galleries worldwide.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2005)
The Packard Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2005
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation was created in 1964 by David Packard and Lucile Salter Packard. They shared a deep and abiding interest in giving back to the community and dedicated themselves to philanthropic causes throughout their lives.In establishing the Foundation, they chose issues for support that were close to them and that they believed could improve the quality of life for many individuals: ensuring opportunities for all children to reach their potential, enhancing women’s reproductive health and stabilizing world population, conserving and restoring earth’s natural systems, and encouraging the creative pursuit of science.
The Hewlett Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2005
Nearly forty years after Bill and Flora Hewlett started the Hewlett Foundation in the living room of their Palo Alto house, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States, with assets of more than $6 billion. The Foundation now makes hundreds of grants per year totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, but the principles that guide its grantmaking are the same as those that inspired them to begin the institution so many years ago—a sincere and heartfelt commitment to help build strong institutions that make a difference in the community and around the world.
Agnes Gund
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2005
Agnes Gund has been the president of the Museum of Modern Art since 1991. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, her mother used to take her to Saturday morning art classes at the Cleveland Museum. Her father was George Gund, Jr. and was the president of the Cleveland Trust Company for twenty-five years and he made his fortune in many areas. His legacy lives on as the George Gund Foundation, which is one of the most important foundations for northeast Ohio, particularly for the arts, the environment, and education. The foundation was one of the earliest and most generous founders at the outset of the AIDS crisis.
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Tom Farmer
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2005
Sir Tom Farmer is acknowledged as one of Scotland’s foremost entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Throughout his commercial and private life, Sir Tom has applied a profound Christian and Philanthropic ethic. This has driven an outstanding career in business. In 1971 he set up Kwik Fit selling tires and exhausts. He built Kwik Fit into one of the most admired retailing organizations and served as a recognized leader in the development and training of its people, standards of customer service and corporate social responsibility.In both his business and personal life, he committed himself to using the resources available to him to help others. Amongst his many activities, he opened up his Kwik Fit centers to receive aid from the public for victims of the war in Kosovo, chaired the Scotland Against Drugs campaign and supported public access to the arts. He established the Farmer Foundation to provide support to local communities, both at home and abroad to develop self-sufficient means of community and personal development.
The Cadbury Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2005
The Cadbury family has a long established tradition of philanthropy. Driven by a passion for social reform linked to the family’s Quaker beliefs, John Cadbury, who founded the chocolate business in 1831, was committed to public service and a significant supporter of charitable causes, notably child laborers. His sons, Richard and George, who took over the business in 1861, continued their father’s work in support of voluntary and public work that promoted a more just society.In 1920, the Barrow Cadbury Trust (as the Barrow and Geraldine S. Cadbury Trust) was established. The Barrow Cadbury Trust’s endowment is today worth around £65 million following a merger with the Paul S. Cadbury Trust in 1994. Since its launch, the original endowment has been significantly added to by a number of the founder’s descendants.
Aga Khan
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2005
His Highness, the Aga Khan, became Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims on July 11, 1957 at the age of twenty, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan. His Diamond Jubilee (60 years) was celebrated on July 11, 2017. He is the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Community and a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through his cousin and son-in-law, Ali the first Imam, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter.In the late-nineteenth century, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah created a number of agencies to meet the social and economic needs of the Community in South Asia and East Africa. Over the last four and a half decades, the present Aga Khan has expanded the scope and geographical reach of these agencies and brought them together as the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2003)
The Sainsbury Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2003
In 1869, about the time that Andrew Carnegie was beginning his steel business in the United States, John James Sainsbury and his wife, Mary Ann, bought a small dairy shop in London and turned it into a grocery store. From this beginning, the Sainsburys created a supermarket chain which today has over 700 stores, of which 191 are in the United States. Total sales are nearly $30 billion and profits are about $1 billion.Moreover, the Sainsbury family, like Andrew Carnegie himself, put the same vision and fervor into their philanthropic efforts as they did in their great retail ventures. Today there are nineteen trusts set up by eighteen different members of the family spanning over three generations and provide the benchmark for British philanthropy over the past three decades.
Kazuo Inamori
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2003
Kazuo Inamori truly embodies the spirit of Andrew Carnegie. Among his many gifts, Inamori donated $200 million of his personal funds to establish the Inamori Foundation in 1984. Since then he has contributed another $300 million. The foundation’s objectives are to “contribute to the peace and prosperity of humankind by promoting academic and cultural development as well as international mutual understanding.” This work is in part accomplished with the annual Kyoto Prizes. Three Nobel-class prizes—Japan’s highest private awards for lifetime achievement—are granted annually to honor individuals from around the world who have contributed significantly to science, technology, art and philosophy, for the benefit of humankind. Through these awards and other philanthropic endeavors, Inamori practices his belief “that there is no higher calling than to work for the greater good of all humankind.” His outlook and his actions echo Andrew Carnegie’s doctrine that private wealth should be used for the public good.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Laureates (2001)
Ted Turner
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
Ted Turner has been honored as Man of the Decade, as Prince of the Global Village and even as the quintessential entrepreneur known as the swashbuckling “Captain Outrageous” of both yachts and industry. His great gift, indeed, his unique and extraordinary talent for taking risks, for thinking that the impossible must be possible and for proving that everyone who ever said he can’t do that is wrong, he has already earned his place in the annals of American life, culture, and history. It was his singular and individual belief in global communication that envisioned and then created the great web of news and information known as CNN that stretches across more than 100 countries, from the Kremlin to the White House, from Beijing to London, from Europe to Asia to South and North America, creating a common gathering place that people from all corners of the globe turn to when the great events of history—both good and bad—are played out on the world stage. Today, though, we are honoring him for another aspect of his remarkable achievements: his humanitarian leadership and his philanthropy.
George Soros
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
A maverick capitalist, intellectual, visionary, a great American and a great citizen of the world. These are only a few of the extraordinary words that can be used to describe George Soros’ extraordinary life and contributions to humanity. Long before the concept of “open societies” became a critical item on the world’s agenda, he was a pioneer in advocating intellectual freedom, freedom of speech, free markets, mutually respectful and interactive international relationships and the building of civil societies to serve as bridges between nations. Today, across the globe, many institutions have risen up as a testament to his vision and to his philanthropic generosity.
The Rockefeller Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
With pride and admiration, the Carnegie family of institutions has taken the unusual step of recognizing another great name in the annals of American philanthropy: the name of Rockefeller. For it was John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie who at the dawn of the last century, began the “business of benevolence” with the same vision and fervor that they founded their own great industrial ventures. Together they set the standards for philanthropy that even today serve as the guiding stars for the philanthropists and humanitarian leaders that have come after them.
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The Gates Family
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
Inspiration. Imagination. Innovation. Integrity. Invention. Individualism. Independence. These are the hallmarks of the Gates family.We Honor the Gates family for their faith in Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth,” and for celebrating it as a true clarion call to those who have great resources, urging them to use their wealth in the service of humanity. Indeed despite the pressures of shepherding one of the world’s leading companies, Bill and Melinda have had the wisdom and foresight to understand that their true legacy will arise from the great good they have done—and will do—as philanthropists, working to help develop and deploy life-saving vaccines, ease human suffering by improving global health equity, and to promote education and learning on a worldwide basis. It is a testament to the Gates family and their dedication to the ideals of philanthropy that the Gates Foundation has become one of the largest and most important foundations active in the world today.
Irene Diamond
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
Storyteller, risk taker, a woman who has always gone where few had gone before. Irene Diamond has made a career of beating the odds.We honor her today for her achievements as president of the Aaron Diamond Foundation, which she and her late husband established in the 1950s, and which gave away more than $220 million to philanthropic cause. Under her leadership the foundation embarked on a major funding program and a ten-year payout that ended in December 1996. During that time it distributed all of its assets to hundreds of programs, mostly in New York City, in arts and culture, medical research, minority education, human rights, and civil liberties.
Brooke Astor
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
As we celebrate the centennial of Andrew Carnegie’s benefactions, we also salute Brooke Astor on her upcoming centennial. During her lifetime, she embodied the spirit of New York City, its resilience, its dynamism, its passion, its glorious energy and its faith in the future. We also celebrate the fact that she always believed that democracy and excellence are not mutually exclusive, but rather the very foundation upon which our society rests.
Annenberg, Leonore & Walter H.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy 2001
The Annenberg Foundation embodies the vision and compassion of Walter Annenberg and his deep commitment to philanthropy and public service.Walter Annenberg is a distinguished publisher, United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James, founder of The Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and The Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. He is the founder-trustee of the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships and the Eisenhower Medical Center, Emeritus Trustee of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the University of Pennsylvania and The Peddie School, among others. A recipient of many honors and awards including the National Medal of Arts and the Medal of Freedom.Leonore Annenberg, a committed philanthropist, dedicated civic leader, patron of the fine arts and ambassador for all that embodies the spirit and hope of America, worked side-by-side with her husband and partner of fifty years and served, with distinction, on the boards of some of this country’s most important institutions including the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the University of Pennsylvania and, of course, the Annenberg Foundation.