The Giving Pledge crowd continues to grow. Twelve families committed today to give away at least half their wealth, bringing the total number of pledge members to 81.
The Giving Pledge is a campaign by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to spur philanthropy by very wealthy people. Members who sign the pledge agree to donate at least half their fortunes during their lifetimes or on their deaths.
New recruits unveiled today include:
* William and Karen Ackman, who made their fortune from hedge funds.
* Arthur M. Blank, of Home Depot
* Edgar M. Bronfman, former chief executive of the Seagram Company.
* The financier Glenn Dubin and his wife, Eva.
* Billy Joe “Red” McCombs, the businessman, and his wife, Charline.
* Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman, whose wealth stems from venture capital.
* Elon Musk, a co-founder of PayPal
* John Sall, a co-founder of software company SAS, and his wife, Ginger.
* Henry Samueli, a co-founder of Broadcom, and his wife, Susan.
* John, Susan, and John Michael Sobrato, of real-estate wealth
* The businessman Theodore Stanley and his wife, Vada.
The 81 Giving Pledge members range in age from 27 (Facebook co-founders Dustin Moskovitz and Mark Zuckerberg) to 96 (David Rockefeller). They represent 22 states and the District of Columbia.
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