Inspiration and aspiration: Giving pledge has 114 signees

Inspiration and aspiration: Giving pledge has 114 signees

News (International)

Nine new people have signed  The Giving Pledge ‑ the philanthropic effort initiated three years ago by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates,  where individuals promise  to devote at least 50% of their wealth to philanthropy – taking the total number to 114.

One of the nine is the 42-year-old founder of lingerie company Spanx, Sara Blakely.  Others to sign in recent months include: Lord Ashcroft and Samuel Yin, of Taiwan.

Michael Ashcroft, as he was known in earlier decades, was a serial buyer and seller of companies, some international. Running a company called Hawley Goodall, he bought Crime Control of Indianapolis in 1987 and then added ADT Security Services, building a very large security company.

In his pledge letter, Lord Ashcroft states that is was his American experience that led him to discover "one of the most appealing traits of American life … the tendency of many wealthy individuals to see it as part of their civic duty to support charities." His first major charity was forming Crimestoppers, which has led to 120,000 arrests.

Samuel Yin built the Taiwanese company Ruentex, which is an integrated network engaging in textile manufacturing, retailing, marketing, and trading. The company has a market value close to $2 billion.

Joe Craft, grew up in Hazard, Kentucky. He formed coal's first publicly traded master limited partnership, Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP). In his giving pledge letter Craft describes [it is one of the], "Basic tenets of American enterprise -- hard work, financial discipline, and teaming up with great people – [that has] allowed me to be in the position to take this pledge."

Americans, Monica and David Gelbaum, Craig and Susan McCaw, Stephen M. Ross, Paul Singer, Mark and Mary Stevens, and Ted Taube have also signed. 

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