INTEL CO-FOUNDER GORDON E. MOORE TAKES OVER NO.1 SPOT

ON BUSINESSWEEK’S ANNUAL RANKING OF

“AMERICA’S TOP PHILANTHROPISTS”

 

Bill and Melinda Gates drop to No.2; Billionaire John Templeton vaults onto the list at No.11

 

NEW YORK, NY November 17, 2004 —Intel Corp. co-founder Gordon E. Moore and his wife, Betty, have achieved the unthinkable, unseating Bill and Melinda Gates from their usual No.1 perch on BusinessWeek’s fourth annual list of the 50 Most Generous Philanthropists. The Moores, like a growing number of big givers, take a businesslike approach to philanthropy. Rather than throwing money at problems, they try to ensure the most productive use of their dollars by funding projects they believe can produce “significant and measurable” results. This desire for accountability is one of the most important themes in this year’s top 50 individual donors list.

 

Debuting on BusinessWeek’s fourth annual list of the 50 Most Generous Philanthropists is billionaire John Marks Templeton, a man who is trying to reconcile science and religion. Templeton is the legendary investor who started Templeton Mutual Funds, now Franklin Templeton Investments. He vaulted onto the list at No.11 with a $550 million gift—the most dramatic move by any individual donor. Others donors on BusinessWeek’s list include No.2 Bill and Melinda Gates; Michael Bloomberg at No.13; Paul Allen, who drops 16 spots to No.25; and Oprah Winfrey, who jumps from No.40 to No.32.

 

As done every year since launching the survey in 2002, BusinessWeek ranks givers by what they’ve pledged and given in the past five years. BusinessWeek also estimates lifetime contributions and presents those figures as a percentage of a person’s current net worth.

 

BusinessWeek also ranked the most generous corporate philanthropists. The magazine polled companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index and the survey depended on voluntary disclosure of data by 203 responding S&P 500 companies. Topping this year’s list of cash givers are Wal-Mart Stores, Johnson & Johnson, and Altria Group.

 

BusinessWeek’s cover story, “America’s Top Philanthropists,” which includes the ranking of the 50 Most Generous Philanthropists, the top Corporate Givers and methodology is available online at www.businessweek.com/go/philanthropy and in the Nov. 28^th issue on newsstands November 21^st.

 

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THE 50 MOST GENEROUS PHILANTHROPISTS