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The Philanthropy 50
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The Philanthropy 50: Americans Who Gave the Most in 2000

April 20, 2010

Rank

Donor

Total amount committed

Years on list

1

William H. Gates III and Melinda Gates
Technology

$5,000,000,000

1

2

Patrick J. and Lore H. McGovern
Technology

$350,000,000

1

3

Eli and Edythe Broad
Finance, real estate

$137,500,000

1

4

Jon M. Huntsman Sr.
Chemicals, manufacturing

$125,000,000

1

5

Elmer E. Rasmuson
Finance

$113,400,000

1

6

Dora Donner Ide
Family wealth

$111,000,000
Bequest

1

7

James L. and Sally Barksdale
Technology

$100,000,000

1

8

Kenneth E. Behring
Real estate

$89,500,000

1

9

Jean Jessop Hervey
Investments

$80,000,000
Bequest

1

10

Charles T. (Ted) Bauer
Finance

$65,000,000

1

10

Frank H. and Wynnette Levinson
Technology

$65,000,000

1

12

Frank Batten Sr.
Media and entertainment

$60,000,000

1

12

John W. Kluge
Media and entertainment

$60,000,000

1

12

H.F. (Gerry) and Marguerite Brooks Lenfest
Media and entertainment

$60,000,000

1

15

Robert Edward (Ted) Turner
Media and entertainment

$50,600,000

1

16

Theodore J. Forstmann
Finance

$50,000,000

1

16

Billy Joe (Red) McCombs
Media and entertainment

$50,000,000

1

16

Richard M. and Sandra Schulze
Retail

$50,000,000

1

16

Clara Rosenthal Weitzenhoffer
Family wealth, oil

$50,000,000
Bequest

1

20

Alberto W. Vilar
Finance

$46,500,000

1

21

Edward H. Harte
Media and entertainment

$46,000,000

1

22

Bruce and Jolene McCaw
Technology

$45,000,000

1

23

Ann Lurie
Investments, real estate

$40,000,000

1

23

Henry T. Segerstrom
Real estate

$40,000,000

1

25

Jeffrey S. Skoll
Technology

$39,000,000

1

26

Thomas F. and Kathy Mendoza
Technology

$35,000,000

1

27

Lincoln M. Knorr
Manufacturing

$33,000,000
Bequest

1

28

Margaret McDermott
Family wealth

$32,000,000

1

28

Jim and Vanita Bauknight Oelschlager
Finance

$32,000,000

1

28

Thomas M. Siebel
Technology

$32,000,000

1

31

Louis Edelstein
Investments, law

$30,000,000
Bequest

1

31

Family of Edmond J. Safra
Finance

$30,000,000

1

33

John H. and Susan Sykes
Technology

$28,000,000

1

34

John J. and Rebecca Moores
Investments, technology

$26,600,000

1

35

Gerhard R. Andlinger
Finance

$25,000,000

1

35

Charles F. and Helen Dolan
Media and entertainment

$25,000,000

1

35

William Clay Ford
Manufacturing

$25,000,000

1

35

Dennis J. Keller
Education

$25,000,000

1

35

Leonard and Louise Riggio
Retail

$25,000,000

1

35

Alvin J. and Ruth Siteman
Oil, real estate

$25,000,000

1

41

John C. Malone
Media and entertainment

$24,000,000

1

41

Julian H. Jr. and Josie Robertson
Finance

$24,000,000

1

43

Peter B. Lewis
Insurance

$23,800,000

1

44

Lambert J. Gross
Corporate finance

$22,600,000
Bequest

1

45

Katherine Gregory Thomas
Advertising, family wealth, oil

$22,500,000
Bequest

1

46

Edward L. Gaylord
Media and entertainment

$22,000,000

1

46

Carl and Ruth Shapiro
Manufacturing

$22,000,000

1

48

Dennis and Stacey Barsema
Technology

$20,000,000

1

48

Lorry I. Lokey
Media and entertainment

$20,000,000

1

50

Lawrence J. Ellison
Technology

$17,600,000

1

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Rank

Donor

Total amount committed

Years on list

1

William H. Gates III and Melinda Gates
Technology

$5,000,000,000

1

2

Patrick J. and Lore H. McGovern
Technology

$350,000,000

1

3

Eli and Edythe Broad
Finance, real estate

$137,500,000

1

4

Jon M. Huntsman Sr.
Chemicals, manufacturing

$125,000,000

1

5

Elmer E. Rasmuson
Finance

$113,400,000

1

6

Dora Donner Ide
Family wealth

$111,000,000
Bequest

1

7

James L. and Sally Barksdale
Technology

$100,000,000

1

8

Kenneth E. Behring
Real estate

$89,500,000

1

9

Jean Jessop Hervey
Investments

$80,000,000
Bequest

1

10

Charles T. (Ted) Bauer
Finance

$65,000,000

1

10

Frank H. and Wynnette Levinson
Technology

$65,000,000

1

12

Frank Batten Sr.
Media and entertainment

$60,000,000

1

12

John W. Kluge
Media and entertainment

$60,000,000

1

12

H.F. (Gerry) and Marguerite Brooks Lenfest
Media and entertainment

$60,000,000

1

15

Robert Edward (Ted) Turner
Media and entertainment

$50,600,000

1

16

Theodore J. Forstmann
Finance

$50,000,000

1

16

Billy Joe (Red) McCombs
Media and entertainment

$50,000,000

1

16

Richard M. and Sandra Schulze
Retail

$50,000,000

1

16

Clara Rosenthal Weitzenhoffer
Family wealth, oil

$50,000,000
Bequest

1

20

Alberto W. Vilar
Finance

$46,500,000

1

21

Edward H. Harte
Media and entertainment

$46,000,000

1

22

Bruce and Jolene McCaw
Technology

$45,000,000

1

23

Ann Lurie
Investments, real estate

$40,000,000

1

23

Henry T. Segerstrom
Real estate

$40,000,000

1

25

Jeffrey S. Skoll
Technology

$39,000,000

1

26

Thomas F. and Kathy Mendoza
Technology

$35,000,000

1

27

Lincoln M. Knorr
Manufacturing

$33,000,000
Bequest

1

28

Margaret McDermott
Family wealth

$32,000,000

1

28

Jim and Vanita Bauknight Oelschlager
Finance

$32,000,000

1

28

Thomas M. Siebel
Technology

$32,000,000

1

31

Louis Edelstein
Investments, law

$30,000,000
Bequest

1

31

Family of Edmond J. Safra
Finance

$30,000,000

1

33

John H. and Susan Sykes
Technology

$28,000,000

1

34

John J. and Rebecca Moores
Investments, technology

$26,600,000

1

35

Gerhard R. Andlinger
Finance

$25,000,000

1

35

Charles F. and Helen Dolan
Media and entertainment

$25,000,000

1

35

William Clay Ford
Manufacturing

$25,000,000

1

35

Dennis J. Keller
Education

$25,000,000

1

35

Leonard and Louise Riggio
Retail

$25,000,000

1

35

Alvin J. and Ruth Siteman
Oil, real estate

$25,000,000

1

41

John C. Malone
Media and entertainment

$24,000,000

1

41

Julian H. Jr. and Josie Robertson
Finance

$24,000,000

1

43

Peter B. Lewis
Insurance

$23,800,000

1

44

Lambert J. Gross
Corporate finance

$22,600,000
Bequest

1

45

Katherine Gregory Thomas
Advertising, family wealth, oil

$22,500,000
Bequest

1

46

Edward L. Gaylord
Media and entertainment

$22,000,000

1

46

Carl and Ruth Shapiro
Manufacturing

$22,000,000

1

48

Dennis and Stacey Barsema
Technology

$20,000,000

1

48

Lorry I. Lokey
Media and entertainment

$20,000,000

1

50

Lawrence J. Ellison
Technology

$17,600,000

1

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We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
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