SEATTLE — Forty wealthy families and individuals have joined Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett in a pledge to give at least half their wealth to charity.
Six weeks after launching a campaign to get other billionaires to donate most of their fortunes, Buffett, the chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, on Wednesday released the first list of those who have signed what he and Gates call the “giving pledge.” Buffett decided in 2006 to give 99 percent of his fortune to charity. Then, he was worth about $44 billion. After five years of investment returns while making annual gifts to five foundations, Buffett’s fortune totals nearly $46 billion.
Bill and Melinda Gates do most of their philanthropic giving through their foundation, which had assets of $33 billion as of June 30 and has made at least $22.93 billion in total grant commitments since 1994.
Buffett said he, the Gateses and others have made 70 to 80 calls to some of the nation’s wealthiest individuals.
Among those who haven’t signed the pledge, some prefer to keep their philanthropy anonymous, some were not available to talk and others were not interested, Buffett said.
Many on the list will be asked to call others, and small dinners will be held across the country in coming months to talk about the campaign.
“We’re off to a terrific start,” Buffett said.
The plenty who joined pledge
The list of people, by state, who have signed a promise to give at least half their wealth to charity, as provided by “Giving Pledge.”
California: Eli and Edythe Broad, Michele Chan and Patrick Soon-Shiong, Ann and John Doerr, Larry Ellison, Barron Hilton, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Lorry I. Lokey, George Lucas, Alfred E. Mann, Tashia and John Morgridge, Bernard and Barbro Osher, Herb and Marion Sandler, Jeff Skoll, Tom Steyer and Kat Taylor
Georgia: Bernie and Billi Marcus, Ted Turner
Hawaii: Pierre and Pam Omidyar
Maryland/Washington, D.C.: David M. Rubenstein, Vicki and Roger Sant
Michigan: Thomas S. Monaghan
Missouri: Jim and Virginia Stowers
Nebraska: Warren Buffett, Walter Scott Jr.
New York: Michael R. Bloomberg, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg, Elaine and Ken Langone, Ronald O. Perelman, Peter G. Peterson, Julian H. Robertson Jr., David Rockefeller, Jim and Marilyn Simons, Sanford and Joan Weill, Shelby White Oklahoma: George B. Kaiser
Pennsylvania: Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest
Texas: Laura and T. Boone Pickens
Utah: Jon and Karen Huntsman
Washington: Paul G. Allen, Bill and Melinda Gates
