John Buchanan Jr.
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
INDUSTRY: Art
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE?
As director of the FAMSF, Buchanan oversees both the De Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, which comprise the largest public arts institution in the city and one of the largest art museums in the United States.
Safra Catz
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Oracle Corporation
INDUSTRY: Technology
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: She is currently one of the Presidents of Oracle Corporation, an internationally recognized computer technology conglomerate. Catz signed onto the company in 1999 and, in addition to her role as co-president, served as the company’s CEO for three years. In 2010, under her leadership, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems, which transformed the software company into both a manufacturer of software and hardware. Before her time with Oracle, Catz was managing director for the global investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. In 2009 she was ranked by Fortune as the 12th most powerful woman in business.
John T. Chambers
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Cisco Systems
INDUSTRY: Technology
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE?
Chambers has been the CEO of Cisco Systems since 1995, has been on the board of directions since 1993 and is chairman of the board, a post he has held since 2006.
Ron Conway
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: SV Angels
INDUSTRY: Venture Capitalism
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE?
This prolific angel investor who took an early interest in Google has put his faith and his funds in more than 500 companies over the years. Some of the big name businesses that have counted Conway as a guardian angel include Ask Jeeves and PayPal, along with some of his more current charges like Digg, Facebook, Twitter, and Associated Content, Inc.
Phoebe Hearst Cooke
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Hearst
INDUSTRY: Media
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE?
From the East Coast to the West Coast, the Hearst name needs little introduction, but the legacy of both George and William Randolph Hearst looms particularly large here in the hometown of the newspaper the family took control of in 1880. Phoebe Hearst Cooke, the 81-year-old granddaughter of the media mogul, has made a name for herself in her own right as a noted horsewoman and philanthropist. She is a staple on the Forbes list with her estimated net worth at one point totaling $1.5 billion.
Francis Ford Coppola
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Francis Ford Coppola Presents
INDUSTRY: Film/Lifestyle
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE?
This Haute Living cover subject is considered by many to be one of the greatest American film directors of all time, boasting works like The Godfather films, Apocalypse Now and The Outsiders. This Oscar-winning director, writer, and producer’s résumé has expanded to include accomplished vintner, hotelier, restaurateur, magazine publisher, and cigar maker.
James Coulter
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: TPG Capital
INDUSTRY: Private Equity
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE?
James Coulter is one of the giants in private equity and is known for loving the art of the multibillion-dollar deal. He co-founded TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group) with the San Francisco headquarters under his leadership. Familiar company names that have Coulter’s fingerprints all over their financial accounts include Burger King, J. Crew, Petco, and Del Monte Foods. His group collaborated with CPP Investment Board for a $5.2 billion takeover of IMS Health, a health care research company.
Vernon Davis
CATEGORY: Athlete
COMPANY: San Francisco 49ers
INDUSTRY: Sports
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Considered one of the NFL’s elite at the tight end position, Davis was drafted by the 49’ers in 2006 and signed a 5-year, $23 million deal—making him the highest paid tight end at the time. His ventures outside of football, including a cameo in a Mike Jones and Ron Artest music video and was an honorary captain of the Men’s U.S. Olympic Curling team for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Olivia Hsu Decker
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs/Real Estate
COMPANY: Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Wall Street Journal said, “If you have a very expensive home to sell, [Olivia’s] name comes to mind first before any others.” The San Francisco Chronicle called her “perhaps the nation’s best known realtor.” One of the leading luxury home specialist in the country, Olivia Hsu Decker and her company, Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty, focuses on the finest luxury homes in the San Francisco Bay Area, has accumulated sales over $2.4 billion and has an impressive list of high-profile clients. Born in Shanghai, Decker completed international real estate study in University of Oxford and owned two magnificent French chateaux including Chateau Villette, where Da Vinci Code book and movie took place. She has been the Director of San Francisco Opera Guild since 1994 and a member of Corinthian Yacht Club since 1980. She has also written an Ambassador column for Events and Travel in Haute Living Magazine since 2009. She is also active in fund-raising for various charities and donated her Rolls Royce to Marin General Hospital in 1989.
News
November 22, 2011Joyce Rey's Blog: My Chat With Wolfgang Puck
