Most Generous Givers

Filed in archive Hedgetalk on February 3, 2008

In Hedge fund News' "2007's Most Generous Givers Generate Huge Numbers", the BusinessWeek annual ranking of 'Most Generous Givers' lists some of 2007's deepest pockets, although many of the donations also bought the renaming of the recipients projects.

Sixteen of the 50 philanthropists gave more than $100 million, while nine donated $200 million or more. The largest donation coming from Jon Huntsman, who gave over $700 million to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah.

David Koch, a newcomer, donated $100 million for a cancer research center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lorry Lokey gave a $74.5 million donation to the University of Oregon, bringing his total to $132 million so far.

George Soros, Bill and Melinda Gates, Michael and Susan Dell, were also high on the list of generous givers. T. Denny Sanford gave $400 million in a pledge to Sioux Valley Hospitals & Health System in South Dakota, renamed Sanford Health.

Robert Day gave $200 million to the Robert Day Scholars Program and Sandy and Joan Weill donated more than $300 million to Cornell University and its Weill Medical College, which focuses on stem cell research.