11 More Billionaires Commit to Donating Half Their Fortunes

by InvestorPlace Staff | September 19, 2012 11:06 am

11 more of the world’s richest families have signed on with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge to donate half of their wealth to various causes in their lifetimes, the Los Angeles Times reports[1].

Among the more notable billionaires in this most recent batch are Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX[2]) CEO Reed Hastings, Progressive (NYSE:PGR[3]) chairman Peter B. Lewis and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC[4]) co-founder Gordon Moore.

Other new signatories to the pledge include:

• Manoj Bhargava, founder and CEO of 5-hour Energy
• Charles Bronfman, former co-chair of Seagram
• Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans
• Jonathan Nelson, founder of Organic, Inc.
• Jorge M. Perez, founder of The Related Companies
• Claire and Leonard Tow, co-founder of Century Communications and CEO of New Century Holdings, respectively
• Albert Lee Ueltschi, founder of Flight Safety International
• Romesh Wadhwani, founder and chairman of Symphony Technology Group

“I have never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer,” explained Ueltschi — whose money will train cataract specialists — in an open letter. “You can’t take it with you.”

Gates — the co-founder, chairman and former CEO of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT[5]) — and Buffett — the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B[6]) — are the world’s second- and third-most wealthy people. They founded the Giving Pledge in 2010.

– Ryan Hauck, InvestorPlace

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