donation to her alma mater,Washington College in Chestertown, Md., which has received her gifts for three decades, to enhance the campus swim center.“Quite simply, Betty Casey and her husband, Eugene, through the Eugene B. Casey Foundation, have transformed Washington College with their support,” noted college President Mitchell Reiss.
Alfred Moses
Marilyn and George Pederson
Pierre Chao When it comes to investing money, Pierre Chao brings three decades of experience to the table. Currently, he is the co-founder and managing partner of Enlightenment Capital, a private investment firm with $80 million of committed capital focused on providing debt and minority equity capital to middle market companies. Previously he co-founded Renaissance Strategic Advisors. Off the clock, Chao focuses his time on CharityWorks, where he serves as a member of the Advisory Board (whose members raise up to 85 percent of the funds donated to partners), and is often spotted at the annual 100 Point Vintage Wine Tasting Dinner. ALICE CLARK AND COURTNEY CLARK PASTRICK Billionaire investor and philanthropist A. James Clark, chairman and CEO of Clark Enterprises, the parent holding company of one of the largest privately-held general contractors in the United States, died in March of this year, but his family – including wife Alice – are continuing his tradition of grand giving through the Clark Family Foundation, which daughter Courtney Clark Pastrick serves as president. The foundation’s mission is to provide a better quality of life for people living in the region, with a special focus on medical research, health care and education. Additionally, Clark Enterprises and its affiliated companies made contributions totaling $16.4 million to charitable organizations in 2013 alone, $13.9 million of which directly benefited groups in the Washington metropolitan area. During his lifetime, A. James Clark gave tens of millions of dollars to the University of Maryland, where the A. James Clark School of Engineering bears his name (as does the A. James Clark Scholarship Endowment for
Pierre Chao
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Susan Carmel Lehrman
Clark School undergraduates). According to the university, Clark gave $15 million before his death to support the design and construction of the A. James Clark Hall, a hub for human health innovation that is slated to open in 2017. BILL AND JOANNE CONWAY Along with his Carlyle Group co-founders Dan D’Aniello and David Rubenstein, Bill Conway has been dubbed by the Washington Post as one of the “go-to guys for public charity” in the region. In 2011, the Conways pledged to give away at least $1 billion, focusing on education and so far have given away at least $55 million in scholarships and tuition-assistance for nursing programs at five local universities, including $5.24 million through their Bedford Falls Foundation in April to the University of Maryland School of Nursing. It was the school’s largest donation ever and will be used to expand enrollment by providing full scholarships to 157 “Conway Scholars.” Past gifts include $5 million to to the Center for Employment Training at So Others Might Eat; $10 million to Catholic Charities; $10 million to the Archdiocese of Washington; $5 million to University of Virginia School of Nursing; $5 million to the Capital Area Food Bank; and more than $1 million to Children’s National Medical Center. ALAN AND ASHLEY DABBIERE When Ashley Dabbiere was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2012, she and her husband, tech entrepreneur Alan Dabbiere, determined to make a difference. They have pledged or given $10 million to fund brain tumor research and in May, brought Sheryl Crow to play a concert in the backyard of their McLean home for a benefit they named the “Grey Soirée.” The event was a huge success, raising more than $1 million for the National Brain Tumor Society. “When I put my mind to something, I can move mountains,” Ashley Dabbiere said at the dinner, “and tonight I’m just getting started. We need to cure this disease.” The Dabbieres have also given $1 million to Inova Health System — where Alan is board chairman of the foundation — to support various medical priorities,
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
| JUNE
2015
| washingtonlife.com