HERE IS OUR 2015 HAUTE LIST OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA’S MOST A-LIST BILLIONAIRES, PHILANTHROPISTS, POWER COUPLES, ENTREPRENEURS, ATHLETES AND, OF COURSE, TECH TITANS. THIS IS THE HOME OF SILICON VALLEY, AFTER ALL…
MARC ANDREESSEN AND BEN HOROWITZ
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz are the co-founders of the $4 billion venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. A few of the firm’s notable investments include Airbnb, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Skype. Before founding Andreessen Horowitz, they were known as “Super Angels” who—together and separately—invested approximately $4 million in 45 tech startups.
JOHN ARRILLAGA
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: PEERY-ARRILLAGA
INDUSTRY: REAL ESTATE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
John Arrillaga, a Silicon Valley real estate mogul—and his partner, Richard Peery—first turned farmland into office spaces in the 1960s. Over the years, his developments have housed high-powered tenants like Google, Apple and Intel. Arrillaga is one of Stanford University’s biggest donors, gifting his alma mater $151 million—the largest single donation the institution has ever received from an individual—in 2013. His family name graces many of Stanford’s campus buildings and he has played a key role in the development of many university projects.
LAURA ARRILLAGA-ANDREESSEN
CATEGORY: PHILANTHROPISTS
COMPANY: LAURA ARRILLAGA-ANDREESSEN FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: TECH/EDUCATION
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen advises Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and other technology entrepreneurs about how to give back. The New York Times bestselling author of Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World created—and has taught—Stanford Graduate School of Business’ first course on strategic philanthropy since 2000 and developed Stanford University’s first courses on philanthropy and social innovation, which she teaches. Her eponymous foundation is a philanthropy education organization whose founding initiatives include ProjectU, Giving 2.0 Chapter Network and a free Stanford University MOOC (massive open online course) to teach givers how to give more effectively.
KATHERINE AUGUST-DEWILDE
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: FIRST REPUBLIC BANK
INDUSTRY: BANKING
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Katherine August-deWilde, a multi-tasking mother of four, is president and a board member of First Republic Bank, a San Francisco-based commercial bank and private wealth management firm. August-deWilde is a member of the board of directors for TriNet Group, Inc., and Equilar, Inc., a trustee of the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, a member of the Advisory Council of the Stanford Center on Longevity and a member of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Advisory Council.
COLIN B. BAILEY
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
It didn’t take long for Colin B. Bailey to make his mark after arriving in San Francisco in 2013 as director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, where he oversees the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor. He’s revamped the exhibition program, helped build collections and had the artwork database on the museum’s website redesigned. This year, “High Style: The Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection” makes its exclusive west coast appearance. At the de Young, “Botticelli to Braque: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland” will showcase some works that have never before been seen in the United States. As an author, Bailey won a prestigious Mitchell Prize for his book Patriotic Taste: Collecting Modern Art in Pre-Revolutionary Paris.
ROGER AND SLOAN BARNETT
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: SHAKLEE CORPORATION
INDUSTRY: NUTRITION / ENVIRONMENT
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Roger and Sloan Barnett were once prominent figures on the young New York social scene; now, this environmentally-conscious couple plays a similar role in San Francisco. In 2004, Roger, a former Wall Street financier, paid $310 million for Shaklee Corporation. He’s the chairman and CEO of the multi-level marketing company known for its natural nutrition and green cleaning products which dates back to 1956 and boasts more than 1.2 million members and distributors in six countries. Sloan is a former New York County district attorney, journalist, author of the New York Times bestseller Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet and member of New York University School of Law’s board of trustees. Together they make the rounds at fashion, charity and arts events and host some as well.
STEVE JR. AND RILEY BECHTEL
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: BECHTEL CORP.
INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
The Bechtel family name can be linked to some of the greatest man-made projects of the century, such as Hoover Dam, the largest civil engineering project in U.S. history. Although Riley stepped down from day-to-day operations as the company’s CEO in 2014 for health reasons, he continues to serve as the chairman of the board and a director. Last year, his son Brendan, who sits on the board, became president and COO. Steve Bechtel Jr., whose grandfather started the company in 1899, sits on the non-executive board as a senior director. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system is a notable project that has a Bechtel stamp.
MARC BENIOFF
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: SALESFORCE
INDUSTRY: TECH / PHILANTHROPY
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Marc Benioff is as well-known for his tech genius—he’s often credited for inventing cloud computing—as he is for his philanthropy. The former protégée of Larry Ellison is the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Salesforce, which was started in 1999 and is now one of the top five software companies in the world. In 2000, Benioff launched the Salesforce Foundation, which introduced a philanthropic approach adopted by many tech companies. Marc and his wife Lynne also donated $200 million to the University of California San Francisco for the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
CARL BERG
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: BERG AND BERG /
BERG LLC
INDUSTRY: REAL ESTATE / HEALTHCARE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Carl Berg made a name for himself when he started developing property in the 1960s with John Sobrato. Now, the real estate icon is doing so in another field. He sold his Mission West Properties portfolio for $1.3 billion in 2012 but still maintains a private real estate portfolio through his firm Berg and Berg. However, he’s focused on revolutionizing healthcare. Berg, a Boston-based biotech company he co-founded, is developing a new diagnostic tool for prostate cancer, has a drug candidate in trial phase and is researching cures for diseases including cancer, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.
BRUCE BOCHY
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
INDUSTRY: SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Bruce Bochy is being called one of the best managers in baseball history after leading the San Francisco Giants to their third World Series championship in five years last fall. He joined the club in 2006, becoming the 38th manager in franchise history and the 16th in San Francisco annals. He’s not afraid to break with tradition when it comes to using his bullpen, doesn’t hesitate to trust unproven talent and knows how to squeeze the maximum value out of his hitters.
JEAN-CHARLES BOISSET
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: BOISSET FAMILY ESTATES
INDUSTRY: WINE / LIFESTYLE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Famous for his flamboyant personality and his fantastical style, Burgundy-born Jean-Charles Boisset brought his signature French flair to the Napa Valley with the purchases of De Loach, Raymond Vineyards and Buena Vista Winery, the oldest premium winery in California. As proprietor of Boisset Family Estates, he has incorporated innovative winemaking techniques and sustainable practices across the estate’s 22 wineries in France and California. He is married to Gina Gallo of E&J Gallo, the largest wine producer in the world
SERGEY BRIN
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: GOOGLE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Sergey Brin helped to create Google, the world’s most popular search engine, with Larry Page in 1998. The tech titan served as the company’s president of technology from 2001 to 2011, where he shared responsibility for its day-to-day operations with Page and then-CEO Eric Schmidt. Today, he directs special projects and is in charge of the Google X division, which is developing Google Glass, driverless cars and drone delivery.
SAFRA CATZ AND MARK HURD
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: ORACLE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Safra Catz and Mark Hurd were named Oracle’s co-CEOs in September after company founder Larry Ellison stepped down. Catz, a former investment banker, joined Oracle in 1999 and has since rose stealthily to the top. She played a major role in Oracle’s mergers and acquisitions department, overseeing nearly 100 deals worth billions of dollars, including the $10.3 billion acquisition of PeopleSoft and the $7.4 billion deal for Sun Microsystems. The world’s highest paid female executive is in charge of the company’s financial, legal and manufacturing decisions. Hurd, whom Ellison recruited to Oracle in 2010 as co-president, oversees sales, service and global business units. He has a reputation for financial management and being able to squeeze profits out of any business.
RON CONWAY
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: SV ANGEL
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Ron Conway is known as one of Silicon Valley’s “super angels.” He founded Angel Investors LP Funds in 1998 and was its managing director until 2005. Currently the special adviser at SV Angel, Conway has invested in and worked closely with hundreds of startups including, Google, Facebook, Zappos, Square, Airbnb, Dropbox, Pinterest, Foursquare and Twitter. As philanthropic as he is a guardian angel, he founded San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation (sf.citi) and is chairman of the board of the San Francisco tech-backed civic organization.
TIM COOK
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: APPLE, INC.
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
While Steve Jobs may forever be the face of Apple, Tim Cook continues to carry the torch brilliantly. He succeeded Apple’s visionary co-founder in 2011, and is currently having his finest moment. Bolstered by the biggest iPhone launch ever with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, his company posted a quarterly revenue of $42.1 billion and quarterly net profit of $8.5 billion in its fiscal 2014 fourth quarter. Along with these record-breaking smartphones comes the launch of Apple Pay, a new payment system that stores credit card information in phones and makes payment as easy as tapping the screen. With Apple Watch and more products in the pipeline, 2015 looks to be another banner year for Apple and Cook.
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA PRESENTS
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT / LIFESTYLE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Francis Ford Coppola is best known as a five-time Academy Award-winning director, writer, and producer of such epic films as The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now. While Coppola has been making films for more than 40 years, he’s also been producing wine for more than 30. His résumé has expanded to include accomplished vintner, hotelier, restaurateur, magazine publisher and cigar maker.
DICK COSTOLO
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: TWITTER
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Dick Costolo joined Twitter as COO in 2010 and quickly took hold of the company’s reins that same year. Since he became CEO, Twitter’s global active user base has more than quadrupled to 284 million monthly active users while the company itself has tripled in size. Under Costolo’s leadership, Twitter introduced “promoted tweets”—contextual advertising based on user interests displayed in Tweets—to increase revenue for the company, and more recently partnered with IBM to offer cloud-based services to businesses. He is also the co-founder and former CEO of FeedBurner, which was purchased by Google in 2007.
JAMES COULTER
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: TPG CAPITAL
INDUSTRY: PRIVATE EQUITY
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
James Coulter continues to rule as a leader in private equity. He co-founded one of the world’s largest private equity firms, TPG Capital, which is based in San Francisco and Ft. Worth, Texas. The firm has invested in more than 100 companies such as U.S. Airways Group and J. Crew. In October, it increased its investment in talent agency Creative Artists Agency from 35 percent to 53 percent, making it the majority owner of the firm that represents movie stars such as Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence. Coulter is also co-chair of the Leading Education by Advancing Digital (LEAD) Commission.
DOMINIQUE CRENN
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: ATELIER CRENN
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Dominique Crenn, the executive chef and co-owner of Atelier Crenn, is considered culinary royalty. She is the first female chef in the U.S. to earn two Michelin stars—which she’s done three years in a row—at her Marina/Cow Hollow eatery, where the kitchen was substantially remodeled in 2014. The native of France has been on the leading edge of San Francisco’s culinary scene for almost two decades, earning her first Michelin star at Luce in San Francisco’s InterContinental Hotel. Her debut cookbook, Atelier Crenn: Metamorphosis of Taste, is scheduled for a late 2015 release.
STEPHEN CURRY
CATEGORY: ATHLETES
COMPANY: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
INDUSTRY: SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
With Stephen Curry—arguably the best point guard in the NBA—running the show, the Golden State Warriors began the 2014-15 season with their best start in the franchise’s history and put together a franchise-best 16-game winning streak. Last season, the five-year veteran and All-Star was voted the NBA’s Community Player of the Year for his numerous charitable contributions in the Bay Area and across the globe. Since 2010, he’s served as the national spokesperson for ThanksUSA and since 2011, has hosted an annual golf tournament in San Francisco in support of the organization that provides scholarships to children and spouses of active U.S. military personnel. He also purchases 25 tickets to every home game to donate to various children’s groups.
OLIVIA HSU DECKER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: DECKER BULLOCK SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
INDUSTRY: REAL ESTATE
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Powerhouse realtor Olivia Hsu Decker is a household name in luxury real estate. Born in Shanghai, Decker moved to Belvedere in 1976 and specializes in the sales of the finest homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her company’s 2014 sales exceeded $1.4 billion. Decker’s clients include tech titans and other boldface names who are Bay Area industry leaders, many of whom are featured on our Haute 100 list. In addition to supporting various nonprofits, she donates a 20 percent referral fee to the charity of choice for the person making the referral.
JOHN DOERR
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: KLEINER PERKINS CAUFIELD & BYERS
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Since joining Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 1980, John Doerr has always had his eyes set on the newest trends in tech, backing such entrepreneurs as Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt of Google; Jeff Bezos of Amazon; and Scott Cook and Bill Campbell of Intuit. His most recent venture is a $15.5 million investment in BetterWorks, a start-up that is releasing a product that turns Google’s famous employee review system (which Doerr himself initially brought to Google) into an app that any company can use to set employee goals and measure feedback. Outside of KPCB, Doerr supports environmentally-focused entrepreneurs, public education and global poverty and serves on the boards of Amyris, Google and Zynga.
JACK DORSEY|
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: SQUARE AND TWITTER
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Although Jack Dorsey created and co-founded Twitter in 2006, has served as CEO and chairman of the company’s board and is now its executive chairman, the billionaire’s current focus is Square, the mobile payment system he co-founded. Square continues to expand its programs. In November, Dorsey introduced Square Register to the world; the app is now available worldwide in four languages, and supports 130 internationally-recognized currencies. There’s also Square Cash, which lets you send and receive money; Square Order, a new way to pre-order food and drinks for pickup; and Square Capital, a service that provides small business financing to merchants who use Dorsey’s system. Dorsey also sits on the board at The Walt Disney Company.
TIMOTHY DRAPER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: DRAPER FISHER JURVETSON
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Timothy C. Draper is founding partner of leading venture capital firms Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Draper Associates, where he is also managing partner. Together, his companies have invested in companies such as Tesla, Skype, Twitter, Paperless Post, Indiegogo, Yammer and Box. Draper is also arguably the creator of “viral marketing” in web-based e-mail, a tool used to spread an Internet product to its market. In an effort to further encourage entrepreneurship, he started BizWorld.org, a nonprofit created to educate children on entrepreneurship, and Draper University of Heroes, a school for entrepreneurs ages 18 to 28 that is also the site of a reality show about a school for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs that will air later this year. Draper will have a regular role.
CLINT EASTWOOD
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: MALPASO PRODUCTIONS / TEHAMA GOLF CLUB
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT / PRIVATE GOLF CLUBS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
San Francisco native Clint Eastwood is firmly established as a film icon. While he is best known for his presence on the silver screen, Eastwood has also been running his own production company, Malpaso Productions, since 1967. The former mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea also owns the invitation-only Tehama Golf Club in Carmel; is an investor in the Pebble Beach Golf Links; and is chairman of the board of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which stages the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach as well as disperses the proceeds from these two tournaments to charity.
DANIEL EK
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: SPOTIFY
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Serial entrepreneur and technologist Daniel Ek started his first company in 1997 at the age of 14. In 2006, he teamed up with Martin Lorentzon to launch Spotify, an award-winning digital music service that gives you on-demand access to over 30 million tracks. His alliances with power players like Sean Parker helped facilitate the company’s U.S. debut and its vital integration with Facebook. Now in 58 markets globally with more than 50 million active users and over 12.5 million paying subscribers, Ek’s company is partnering with enterprises like Uber. How fitting that Spotify has two floors of office space above the famed Warfield theater.
LARRY ELLISON
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: ORACLE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
When Oracle founder Larry Ellison stepped down as CEO last September, it ended one of the most entertaining and profitable runs for a leader in business history. He remains executive chairman of the board and took on the role of chief technology officer for the billion-dollar Silicon Valley giant. Ellison is one of the richest people in the world and is well-known for his flamboyant personality, entertaining a wide range of interests outside of the boardroom; he flies planes, plays guitar, races sailboats and owns 97 percent of the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
ARCHIE ALDIS “RED” EMMERSON
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRY: LUMBER
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Archie Aldis “Red” Emmerson might be of the most dressed-down billionaires on our list, but he is in the business of growing and cutting down trees. Emmerson began his lumber products company with his father, R.H. “Curly” Emmerson, in 1949. The Anderson, Calif.-based firm owns and manages nearly 1.9 million acres of timberland in California and Washington and is the second largest lumber producer in the United States.
DIANNE FEINSTEIN AND RICHARD BLUM
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: U.S. SENATE / BLUM CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P.
INDUSTRY: GOVERNMENT / BANKING
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
She’s the senator from California; he’s the investment banker worth millions. Dianne Feinstein, whose current term expires in 2018, has been in the United States Senate since 1992 and served as mayor of San Francisco for 10 years. Richard Blum founded Blum Capital in 1975, a highly successful equity investment management firm of which he is still the chairman. He’s also co-chairman of Newbridge Capital, LLC. Blum was reappointed to a 12-year term on the University of California Board of Regents by Governor Brown in 2014.
DAVID FILO
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: YAHOO!
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
David Filo co-founded Yahoo! with Jerry Yang in 1994 after dropping out of Stanford’s computer science Ph.D. program, picking up his official title of “chief Yahoo.” Known for his low-key nature, he continues to work at Yahoo!, where he runs the technical operations and reports directly to CEO Marissa Mayer. He rejoined the board last summer after an 18-year hiatus. He is currently the largest shareholder in the company, with an approximate 7% stake.
GORDON AND ANN GETTY
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: ANN & GORDON GETTY FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL / ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Gordon Getty is the son of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. The classical music composer is one of the nation’s leading venture capitalists and philanthropists. He is known to have an eye for sound investments, of which include the wineries, resorts, spas and boutiques of the PlumpJack Group. He and his wife Ann run The Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation, one of the top ten foundations that award arts grants in California. The nonprofit makes generous donations to music programs, including the League of American Orchestras.
DAVID GOCKLEY
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
David Gockley is considered to be one of the major innovators in American opera. He has been committed to broadening and diversifying opera audiences since becoming general director of the San Francisco Opera in 2006. In his first months as general director, he took opera to the center of the community with a free outdoor simulcast, the first in the company’s history. Last year, he announced that he’ll retire in July 2016, capping an internationally-acclaimed and award-winning career spanning 44 years as one of America’s most prominent opera impresarios.
JOHN GUNN
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: DODGE & COX FUNDS / SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT / ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
John Gunn commands the best of both worlds. The Stanford graduate sits on various committees at Dodge & Cox Funds, one of the country’s most successful professional management firms. He joined the company in 1972 and later became chairman. He has also been a subscriber of the San Francisco Opera since 1988 and is now chairman of its board of directors.
BILL HARLAN
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: HARLAN ESTATE / BOND ESTATES / MEADOWOOD / NAPA VALLEY RESERVE
INDUSTRY: HOSPITALITY / FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Bill Harlan is a former real estate developer who arrived in Napa Valley in search of land to create world-class wine. He succeeded, establishing Harlan Estate in 1984 and BOND Estates in 1996. He is also the managing partner of Meadowood, a Relais & Chateaux resort with a three-star Michelin restaurant, and The Napa Valley Reserve, a members-only winegrowing estate. The first vintage of Promontory, his new wine, debuted in the fall.
NOOSHEEN HASHEMI AND FARZAD NAZEM
CATEGORY: PHILANTHROPISTS
COMPANY: THE HAND FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: PHILANTHROPY
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
This haute power couple is Silicon Valley royalty. As Yahoo!’s chief technology officer for 11 years, Farzad Nazem is credited with pioneering the massively scalable and cost effective web operations that allowed 600 million users to make Yahoo! their reliable online home. Noosheen Hashemi ran finance and administration—including all sales infrastructure—for Oracle’s U.S. division and shepherded the company’s meteoric growth of doubling revenues annually. Together they manage their family office and co-founded The HAND Foundation—she’s president and he’s the company secretary—which aims to prevent child sexual abuse, strengthen the global middle class and advance the philanthropic sector. Each is a sought-after angel investor who gives back by advising enterprising founders and social entrepreneurs.
REED HASTINGS
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: NETFLIX
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Reed Hastings is responsible for revolutionizing the way movies are viewed. The co-founder and CEO of Netflix, which he resurrected with original series such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black,” was formerly on the board of directors at Microsoft and now serves on the board at Facebook. He’s an active educational philanthropist and sits on the board of several educational organizations, including California Charter Schools Association, Dreambox Learning, KIPP and Pahara.
WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST III
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: HEARST CORPORATION
INDUSTRY: PUBLISHING
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
After graduating from Harvard, William Randolph Hearst III spent years as an employee of the Hearst Corporation, eventually becoming editor and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner. He left the company in 1976 and returned to succeed William Randolph Hearst Jr. as a trustee of the company. Today, he’s also president of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, director of The Hearst Foundation and a partner emeritus at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
REID HOFFMAN
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: GREYLOCK PARTNERS / LINKEDIN
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Reid Hoffman knows how to make a connection. In 2003 he co-founded LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking service, and later became one of Facebook’s angel investors. At LinkedIn, he led the company through its first four years of profitability as CEO and now serves as its executive chairman. In 2009 he joined Greylock, where he is now a partner. He continues to back Facebook, along with Airbnb and One Kings Lane.
SIR JONATHAN IVE
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: APPLE, INC.
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Sir Jonathan Ive, also known as the “King of Design,” has been responsible for leading a design team widely regarded as one of the world’s best. As Apple’s senior vice president of design, he’s the driving force behind the look and feel of Apple’s innovative products, which are used by millions of consumers worldwide and have transformed our visual world. Recognized with numerous design awards, Apple products are featured in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Pompidou in Paris. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Modern Art Council awarded Ive the 2014 Bay Area Treasure Award, its lifetime achievement honor.
LAURENE POWELL JOBS
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: EMERSON COLLECTIVE
INDUSTRY: EDUCATION
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of the late, great Steve Jobs—who also happens to be the richest woman in Silicon Valley—is one of the top donors for Ready for Hillary, a super PAC that has raised millions to support a Hillary Clinton presidential run. She keeps busy as the founder and chair of Emerson Collective, an organization that supports social entrepreneurs and organizations working in the areas of education, immigration reform and social justice. She also serves as president of the board of College Track, an after-school program she founded in 1997 to prepare underserved high school students for success in college, and sits on Stanford University’s board of trustees and on the board of Tom Steyer’s Next Generation..
GREGORY JOHNSON
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Gregory Johnson serves as the chairman of the board, CEO, president and a director of Franklin Resources, Inc., the global investment management organization also known as Franklin Templeton Investments that boasts more than $900 billion in assets under management. He succeeded his father, Charles Johnson, who retired as chairman of the board in 2013. Johnson joined Franklin in 1986 after working as a senior accountant for Coopers & Lybrand. He is a current board member of Jumpstart, Menlo School and the San Francisco Symphony.
RUPERT JOHNSON JR.
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Rupert Johnson joined Franklin Resources, Inc. in 1965 and is vice-chairman and a director at the behemoth global investment management company run by his nephew, Gregory. He is best known for acquisitions like Fiduciary Trust and Templeton Funds. His Rupert H. Johnson Foundation regularly donates to educational programs and academic institutions within the U.S.
PAMELA JOYNER
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: AVID PARTNERS
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT ADVISORY
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Pamela Joyner put her hard-earned degrees from Dartmouth and Harvard to good use with a nearly 30-year-career as a money manager and founding partner at Avid Partners, a strategic marketing consulting firm focused on advising managers in the alternative investment industry. Joyner isn’t just about business, however. A patron of the arts, she’s known for hosting lavish events and fundraisers at her Presidio Terrace estate, which is filled with paintings by artists of the global African Diaspora. She’s a director at First Republic Bank and the California Healthcare Foundation as well as a trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago and the New York City Ballet.
TRAVIS KALANICK
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
INDUSTRY: TRANSPORTATION
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Uber is now a verb thanks to Travis Kalanick, the CEO and co-founder of Uber Technologies, Inc., who brought on-demand, black-car service to virtually everyone. He’s guided the company from a niche market in San Francisco to its global presence today. Uber is six times bigger than it was a year ago and is now in 53 countries. In December, it raised another $1.2 billion in funding at a $41.2 billion valuation. Kalanick actively invests in startups and advises other passionate startup entrepreneurs.
COLIN KAEPERNICK
CATEGORY: ATHLETES
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
INDUSTRY: SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Colin Kaepernick, the star quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers—who is as well known for his exhilarating play on the field as he is his tattoos—signed a six-year, $126 million contract extension last June, meaning his fans may be “Kaepernicking” through 2020. In 2013 he led the 49ers to its first Super Bowl since 1994, when the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens by three points. Since joining the NFL in 2011, he’s supported Camp Taylor by hosting golf tournaments and bringing awareness to the charity that offers several programs for young people and families of children with heart disease.
ARTURO KELLER
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: KELLER ESTATE WINERY
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Arturo Keller, a major automotive industrialist from Mexico City, fell in love with Sonoma in the 1980s. In 1984, he purchased a 300-acre ranch in Petaluma through his realtor, Olivia Hsu Decker, built his car museum—he has one of world’s finest vintage car collections—and created Keller Estate Winery and Vineyards, the first winery to establish itself in the Petaluma Valley and which produces artisanal, handcrafted pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and syrah.
THOMAS KELLER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: THOMAS KELLER RESTAURANT GROUP
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Thomas Keller is the undisputed king of the culinary world, renowned for elevating the standards of refinement in the food industry. His restaurants Per Se and The French Laundry have each earned three Michelin stars, making him the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple Michelin three-star ratings simultaneously. The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group includes restaurants in California, New York and Las Vegas, but it is Yountville where he rules with Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bistro, Bouchon Bakery, The French Laundry and his lifestyle store, Finesse.
VINOD KHOSLA
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: KHOSLA VENTURES
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Vinod Khosla, Silicon Valley’s preeminent eco-investor, has a passion for mentoring entrepreneurs and helping them to build green tech businesses. He is one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems, where he served as CEO and chairman in the 1980s. In 2004, he moved on to form his own firm, Khosla Ventures, where his primary investments are clean technology companies. Inside his portfolio is Soraa, whose co-founder Shuji Nakamura won the Nobel Prize in physics last October.
MICHAEL KIM
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: CENDANA CAPITAL
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Michael Kim is founder and managing partner of Cendana Capital, a “fund of funds” focused on backing seed-stage venture capital funds that place their money into young startups. He’s invested in seed VC funds such as Accelerator Ventures, Bowery, Forerunner Ventures and Founder Collective, a seed investor in Uber. Before starting Cendana, Kim was an original partner at Rustic Canyon Partners. He currently serves as a member of various advisory boards, including Founder Collective and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown. Last year, he and his wife Letitia chaired the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show and Holiday Heroes.
OMID KORDESTANI
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: GOOGLE/VODAFONE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Omid Kordestani, Google’s “business founder” and employee number 11, led Google’s business operations from the first sales and first dollar in revenue to over $20 billion in revenues. After holding executive positions at Google for 10 years, he became a special advisor to CEO Larry Page. Now the popular Kordestani is back as chief business officer while continuing to maintain his special advisor title. He recently joined the board of Spotify. Kordestani supports various philanthropic interests, including Iranian-American causes, education and medicine.
CHRISTOPHER KOSTOW
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: THE RESTAURANT AT MEADOWOOD
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Few chefs have earned a Michelin star before their 30th birthday, but Christopher Kostow is special. He is the executive chef of The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa, and has earned not one but three stars for his exquisite, transcendent cuisine from 2011 to 2015. Kostow is the third-youngest chef to ever receive three Michelin stars. His first cookbook, A New Napa Cuisine, was released last fall. In addition, he curates the seasonal cuisine at the new American Express Centurion Lounge inside San Francisco International Airport.
JOSEPH LACOB
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: KLEINER PERKINS CAUFIELD & BYERS / GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL / SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Joe Lacob, a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, has made successful investments across multiple disciplines, which in 2011 allowed him to achieve a lifelong dream: to become an NBA owner. He’s now the co-executive chairman, CEO and governor of the Golden State Warriors, which enjoyed their best start in franchise history this season. He is actively involved at Stanford University, where he serves on advisory boards at the Medical Center, business school and athletic department.
MAYOR EDWIN LEE
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
INDUSTRY: CIVIL SERVICE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
After filling in as interim mayor for former Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2011, Edwin Lee became the first Asian-American and 43rd mayor of San Francisco. He has championed balancing the budget to keep San Francisco safe, solvent and successful, reforming city pensions, economic development and job creation. In last November’s elections, he successfully campaigned five ballot measures ranging from a $500 million transportation bond to raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Though his four-year stint expires this year, he’s already announced that he’ll seek another term.
STEPHEN AND STEPHANIE LEE
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLE
COMPANY: CH GROUP
INDUSTRY: LUXURY JEWELRY
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
CH Group is one of the most respected names in the jewelry business and Stephen and Stephanie Lee are the power players who runs CH Premier Jewelers’ Bay Area store. CH Group is the umbrella company for both Chong Hing Jewelers and CH Premier Jewelers and now features five locations throughout California, making them the largest Asian-American owned jewelry chain in the state.
DR. ARTHUR LEVINSON
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: CALICO
INDUSTRY: BIOTECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Dr. Arthur Levinson is a rock star of the biotech world. He served as CEO of powerhouse Genentech from 1995 to 2009 and is now the co-founder and CEO of Calico, a Google-backed company focused on health, aging and well-being. In addition, he’s the chairman of Apple’s board.
JOE LONSDALE
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENUERS
COMPANY: FORMATION 8
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Joe Lonsdale is founding member and partner at Formation 8, a fund that invests in Silicon Valley’s top entrepreneurs and connects them with Asian conglomerates. He previously co-founded Palantir Technologies, a multi-billion dollar software company that develops mission-critical analysis systems used by government and financial organizations around the world. He currently serves as chairman of the board of Addepar, a leading wealth management technology platform he founded, and OpenGov. He also sits on the boards of Oscar, Radius and Wish.
GEORGE LUCAS
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: LUCASFILM
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
George Lucas formed his film company, Lucasfilm Ltd., in 1971 and the rest is history. The film producer, screenwriter and director went on to create the epic Star Wars saga and the Indiana Jones series, among many other successful films. The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. In 1991, the visionary founded the George Lucas Educational Foundation, which encourages innovation in K-12 schools by documenting and sharing strategies that promote lifelong learning and prepares students to thrive in their adult lives. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is currently under construction in Chicago.
NICOLA LUISOTTI
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Italian conductor Nicola Luisotti has been music director of the San Francisco Opera since September of 2009. Since making his debut, he now conducts at nearly every major opera company in the world, from La Scala in Milan to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He has also led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in performances presented by Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley.
JACK MA
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: ALIBABA GROUP
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Jack Ma, the wealthiest man in China, saw his net worth soar to $22.8 billion from $7.1 billion after the $25 billion, record-breaking IPO of his e-commerce powerhouse, Alibaba Group, on the New York Stock Exchange last fall. Ma, the executive chairman who founded the company in 1999, is now a global leader. Alibaba, which has invested in various San Francisco and Menlo Park-based startups, including the rideshare company Lyft, mobile game maker Kabam, and the message app TangoMe, opened its San Francisco office on the top floor of the iconic PacBell building last August.
MARISSA MAYER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: YAHOO
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Marissa Mayer made headlines when she was named Yahoo! CEO, president and director in July 2012. She breathed new life into the tech giant by releasing new products, acquiring burgeoning start-ups and updating its old look, ultimately raising the stock by 60 percent in one year. Prior to Yahoo!, she was the first female engineer at Google, where she spent 13 years in various positions. The Stanford grad is also a mother, wife and socialite and serves on the board of directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Ballet.
KEN MCNEELY
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: AT&T CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Ken McNeely is president of AT&T California, where he leads a workforce of more than 36,000 employees. He oversees AT&T’s philanthropic, policy and social engagement efforts in California. His employees and retirees gave more than 3.6 million hours of personal time to community outreach activities between 2009 and 2013—services worth more than $79 million. McNeely, who set up a family foundation to provide scholarships in his kids’ names to underprivileged youth in the city, is focused on supporting arts education and programs that promote opportunities for underserved youth, including Adventures in Music, run by the San Francisco Symphony; The Trevor Project, an anti-bullying organization for LGBT youth; and Breakthrough Collaborative, which puts low-income middle school students on the path to college and inspires high school and college students to become educators. He’s on the board of the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
MICHAEL MINA
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: MINA GROUP
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Michael Mina’s empire continues to expand. The celebrity chef and cookbook author is the founder of the Mina Group, whose 26 restaurants include San Francisco’s RN74, Bourbon Steak, Clock Bar and the Michelin-starred Michael Mina. As if all of that isn’t impressive enough, the James Beard award-wining chef also made news last year with the debut of his $500-a-person tailgate experience at Bourbon Steak & Pub at Levi’s Stadium, the new home of the San Francisco 49ers.
MARGRIT MONDAVI
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE / ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Margrit Mondavi, the doyenne of Napa Valley, joined the Robert Mondavi Winery in pursuit of a lifelong interest in uniting wine with fine arts, music and culinary artistry. A pioneer in the industry, she helped her husband, wine icon Robert Mondavi, establish the once-dormant Napa Valley into the epicenter of American wine culture. Today, she is the company’s vice president of cultural affairs and has established a fine arts program and the Summer Concert Series at the winery.
MICHAEL MONDAVI
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: MICHAEL MONDAVI FAMILY ESTATES
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Michael Mondavi is part of Napa Valley elite. His career began in 1966, when he co-founded the Robert Mondavi Winery with his father. He moved from roles in sales to president and CEO and later served as chairman in 2004 before leaving to start Michael Mondavi Family Estates. His company made news last June when it sold its Carneros winery facility, vineyard and tasting room to the Kieu Hoang Winery Napa Valley. Michael Mondavi Family Estates is in the final stages of securing a new boutique winemaking facility and tasting room in Napa Valley this winter. Mondavi is also co-founder and coach of Folio Fine Wine Partners.
GORDON AND BETTY MOORE
CATEGORY: PHILANTHROPISTS
COMPANY: GORDON AND BETTY MOORE FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION / SCIENCE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and his wife Betty established their namesake foundation in 2000 to create positive change for future generations in the areas of environmental conservation, patient care, and science. In October, the foundation’s science program, one of the largest privately-funded data scientist programs of its kind, awarded 14 scientists $21 million as part of its five-year, $60 million Data-Driven Discovery Initiative. The couple also made a private, $50 million donation to the University of California San Francisco to fund the region’s first women’s hospital. The UCSF Betty Irene Moore Women’s Hospitals opens on Feb. 1 in Mission Bay.
JOHN MORGRIDGE
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: CISCO SYSTEMS
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
John Morgridge joined Cisco in 1988 as president and CEO and grew the company from $5 million to more than $1 billion in sales. In 1990, he took Cisco public, was appointed chairman in 1995 and became chairman emeritus in 2006. Morgridge teaches management at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, serves on its School of Business Advisory Council and sits on several boards, including that of the Cisco Foundation, Morgridge Institute for Research and Stanford Hospitals and Clinics.
ELON MUSK
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: TESLA MOTORS /
SPACE X
INDUSTRY: HYBRID AUTOMOBILES / SPACE TRAVEL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Serial entrepreneur and innovator Elon Musk became a multimillionaire in his late twenties when he sold his first start-up company, Zip2, to a division of Compaq Computers. Best known for co-founding X.com—which later became PayPal, a company he sold to eBay in 2002—he’s busy revolutionizing other industries. Tesla Motors—of which he is a co-founder, CEO and product architect—makes luxury electric cars that are all the rage. SpaceX, the advanced rockets and spacecraft enterprise he founded in 2002, is transforming space technology; last September, it won a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to resupply the International Space Station with its rockets and launchers.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM AND JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: STATE OF CALIFORNIA / THE REPRESENTATION PROJECT
INDUSTRY: POLITICS / ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
He’s a public servant who champions innovative public policies. She’s a champion of women’s rights. Together, this Marin couple is making a difference. Gavin Newsom has been a political visionary on issues of equality, the environment, homelessness and healthcare as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, then as mayor of San Francisco and now as lieutenant governor, a title he secured for another four years following his win in the November elections. His filmmaker wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom—who takes her documentary, “The Mask You Live In,” to Sundance this month—is also a speaker and president and CEO of the nonprofit organization The Representation Project.
PIERRE OMIDYAR
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: THE OMIDYAR FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Pierre Omidyar is an entrepreneur and philanthropist best known as the founder of eBay. After eBay became a public company in 1998, Pierre and his wife Pam co-founded Omidyar Network, which invests in and helps scale innovative for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, contributing more than $1 billion to programs spanning a range of causes, from poverty alleviation to human rights and disaster relief. Omidyar is also the founder, CEO and publisher of First Look Media, which strives to give journalists independence.
LARRY PAGE
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: GOOGLE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Google’s CEO and co-founder Larry Page not only leads day-to-day operations at his gigantic corporation but also spearheads Google’s technology and product development strategies. In 1998, Page and Sergey Brin co-founded Google, which today dominates the search engine rankings, capturing 67 percent of the searches in the U.S. Google developed the mobile operating system Android, the world’s most popular mobile platform, which powers hundreds of millions of mobile devices in more than 190 countries around the world. Every day, another million users power up their Android devices for the first time. Page is also a trustee on the board of the XPRIZE.
SEAN PARKER
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: AIRTIME
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Sean Parker co-founded Napster at the age of 19, became the founding president of Facebook at 24, joined Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund in 2006 and went on to invest $15 million in Spotify, becoming a key player in the music site’s U.S. launch. He’s also co-founded Plaxo, Causes and Airtime, which he’s quietly re-launching. He’s chairman of Brigade Media, a startup designed to boost civic engagement and whose investors and board members include Marc Benioff and Ron Conway. In 2014, he parted ways with Founders Fund, but currently sits on the board of Spotify.
PAUL AND NANCY PELOSI
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: FINANCIAL LEASING SERVICES INC. / U.S. GOVERNMENT
INDUSTRY: FINANCE / POLITICS
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Power couple Paul and Nancy Pelosi were on the San Francisco scene long before she became the first female elected speaker of the House of Representatives in 2007. Today, she serves as the minority leader of the United States House of Representatives, coasting to another term in Congress after the November elections, while her husband, a San Francisco native, has made his mark as financier, businessman and owner of Financial Leasing Services, Inc.
TOM PERKINS
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: KLEINER PERKINS CAUFIELD & BYERS
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Silicon Valley pioneer Tom Perkins co-founded the legendary venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, where he is now an emeritus partner, in 1972. His firm has created some of the most interesting and innovative businesses in the world such as Genentech, Netscape and Google. It’s no wonder he’s sometimes referred to as the “Father of Silicon Valley.”
CHARLES PHAN
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: SLANTED DOOR GROUP
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Charles Phan continues to make waves in the world of Vietnamese cooking. In 2014, The Slanted Door—his celebrated restaurant in the Ferry Building, which turns 20 this year—was honored as the country’s most outstanding restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. As executive chef and owner of the Slanted Door Group, Phan oversees an empire that includes two Out the Door outposts, Hard Water, The Coachman and South, inside SFJAZZ. He also penned The Slanted Door, which was named best cookbook of 2014 by Amazon.
MARK AND ALISON PINCUS
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: ZYNGA /ONE KINGS LANE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Mark Pincus is the co-founder, chairman and former CEO of Zynga, the online social gaming giant that brought us FarmVille and Words With Friends. Last fall, Pincus, who made founding investments in Napster, Twitter and Facebook, launched a new incubator dubbed Superlabs to fund startups. Pincus also founded Zynga.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using social games for social good that, since 2009, has raised more than $18 million. His wife, Alison, is co-founder of the home furnishings marketplace One Kings Lane, which, in 2014, was valued at nearly $1 billion. Together, the entrepreneurial power couple are raising their twin daughters in Pacific Heights, where they recently put their home on the market for $18 million.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
INDUSTRY: EDUCATION
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Condoleezza Rice served as the 66th Secretary of State of the United States—the second woman and first African-American woman to hold the post—and was the first woman to hold the position of assistant to the president for national security affairs during George W. Bush’s presidency. Rice is now a professor of political economy at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, a Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution and a professor of political science at Stanford. She is also a founding partner of RiceHadleyGates, an international strategic consulting firm based in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.
GEORGE ROBERTS
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS & Co. L.P.
INDUSTRY: PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTMENTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
George Roberts is one of three original partners of global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., where he also wears the hats of co-chairman and co-CEO. Two of the notable investments of his firm, which launched in 1976 and manages $98 billion in assets, are Go Daddy and Toys “R” Us. With a net worth of $5 billion, Roberts supports the arts. He’s a life governor on the San Francisco Symphony’s board and a trustee emeritus of the San Francisco Ballet. He also turns his philanthropic efforts toward REDF, which he founded and helms as chairman of the nonprofit’s board of directors.
CHRIS SACCA
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: LOWERCASE CAPITAL
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Chris Sacca, an accomplished venture investor, private equity principal, company advisor and entrepreneur, manages a portfolio of over 50 consumer web, mobile and wireless technology start-ups, as well as an array of mature enterprises through his holding company, Lowercase Capital. While primarily known for its investments in seed and early stage technology companies like Twitter, Uber, Instagram and Kickstarter, Lowercase has quietly become one of the largest venture funds in the United States.
DAVID SACKS
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: ZENEFITS
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
David Sacks landed at Zenefits in December as the COO of the 20-month old cloud software startup that offers human resources software as a service—months after parting ways with Microsoft, where he was a corporate vice president. In 2008, he co-founded Yammer, an enterprise social network used by more than 200,000 companies worldwide that was purchased for $1.2 billion by Microsoft Corporation in 2012. An internet- savvy savant since the 1990s, Sacks was formerly the COO of PayPal until its acquisition by eBay in 2002.
SHERYL SANDBERG
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: FACEBOOK
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Sheryl Sandberg is Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s number two, but the very public billionaire COO receives nearly as much credit as her boss for the $160 billion social media giant’s success. Facebook now challenges Google, Sandberg’s former employer, as a major player in the digital advertising world. In 2014, the face of female empowerment followed up her bestselling book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, with Lean In for Graduates. Last year, she, along with her husband SurveyMonkey CEO David Goldberg, also joined The Giving Pledge, created by Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates.
ERIC SCHMIDT
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: GOOGLE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Eric Schmidt is Google’s executive chairman and former CEO. Since joining Google in 2001, he helped grow the company from a Silicon Valley startup to a global leader in technology. Currently responsible for the external matters of Google, he also advises the CEO and senior leadership on business and policy issues. In September, he published his second New York Times bestseller, How Google Works, which he co-authored with Google’s Jonathan Rosenberg. He’s a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council in the United Kingdom. He is also a trustee of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., and sits on the board of the Khan Academy.
CHARLOTTE AND GEORGE SHULTZ
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: U.S. GOVERNMENT
INDUSTRY: POLITICS
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
George Shultz has had a distinguished career in government, academia and business. He’s one of two individuals who have held four different federal cabinet posts, with his most notable being Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan for two administrations. She is San Francisco’s Chief of Protocol—a position she’s held under eight different mayors—and a prominent socialite. Together, this power couple—who wed in 1997—continues to dominate San Francisco’s social events. A driveway that circles Memorial Court, located between the Opera House and Veterans Building, was named Charlotte & George Shultz Horseshoe Drive.
CHARLES SCHWAB
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: CHARLES SCHWAB
INDUSTRY: FINANCE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Charles Schwab is the man best known for famously bringing Wall Street back to Main Street by undercutting big brokerage houses in the late 1970s. He is also known for being among the first to bring investing online. Today, Charles Schwab & Co. boasts around $2.48 trillion in client assets, while his net worth has skyrocketed to $6.4 billion. He’s chairman of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank and a trustee of The Charles Schwab Family of Funds, Schwab Investments, Schwab Capital Trust and Schwab Annuity Portfolios. In addition to his professional commitments, he is the co-founder and chairman of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation and chairman of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
THOMAS SIEBEL
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: C3 ENERGY
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Thomas Siebel is chairman and CEO of C3 Energy, an energy efficiency and smart grid analytics software company. He is also the chairman of First Virtual Group, a diversified holding company with interests in investment management, real estate, agribusiness, philanthropy and global financial asset management. Prior to launching C3, he was founder and CEO of Siebel Systems, which he sold to Oracle for $5.9 billion in 2005. Today, he’s worth $2.3 billion. The Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation has granted more than $250,000 to various charitable causes, ranging from helping the homeless and underprivileged to the development of energy solutions.
JOHN SOBRATO
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: THE SOBRATO ORGANIZATION
INDUSTRY: REAL ESTATE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
John Sobrato, the founder and principal of The Sobrato Organization, heads one of the most successful real estate development firms in California. His company is responsible for the development and construction of more than 150 offices and research and development facilities, totaling more than 15 million square feet and 10,000 apartment units. The real estate mogul’s net worth is estimated at $4.7 billion.
DR. ELISA STEPHENS
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY
INDUSTRY: EDUCATION
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Dr. Elisa Stephens became the president of the Academy of Art University in 1992, the third generation of the Stephens’ family to hold the position since her grandfather founded the organization in 1929. Under her leadership, the Academy of Art University has become the largest accredited private university of art and design in America, with over 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students on a unique urban campus in downtown San Francisco. In 2014, she was appointed to serve on the Smithsonian National Board.
JEREMY STOPPELMAN
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: YELP
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Jeremy Stoppelman’s astronomical success as co-founder and CEO of the popular review website Yelp began in 2004. Known for his hard-nosed negotiation skills, the Harvard dropout rejected a $550 million buyout offer from Google in 2009 after Steve Jobs personally advised him against making the deal. Now in 29 countries, Yelp, the leading local guide for real word-of-mouth on everything from boutiques and mechanics to restaurants and dentists, draws 139 million unique visitors per month, with Yelpers having written over 67 million local reviews.
TOM STEYER
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: NEXT GENERATION
INDUSTRY: ENVIRONMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Tom Steyer is an active citizen. After retiring from the private sector, where he founded and was the senior managing member of Farallon Capital Management, he founded Advanced Energy Economy to advance policy in the clean energy sector; Next Generation, which addresses climate and family policy; and NextGen Climate Action, which acts politically on climate issues. Steyer and his wife, Kat Taylor, joined Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates and other high-wealth Americans in The Giving Pledge, a promise to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable and nonprofit activities during their lifetimes.
KEVIN SYSTROM AND MIKE KRIEGER
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: INSTAGRAM
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are the Instagram tycoons who sold their photo-sharing app to Facebook for $1 billion in 2012, less than two years after the company was established. Though they have joined the Facebook family, they continue to run Instagram independently—Systrom as the CEO and Krieger as the technical lead. More than 60 million photos are shared daily by more than 200 million registered users, including many celebrities who use the app to share images and videos of their personal and professional lives with fans.
AMY TAN
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
INDUSTRY: PUBLISHING
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Oakland-born author Amy Tan is best known for her novel The Joy Luck Club, which was adapted for a film that she co-produced and co-wrote. The 62-year-old, who began writing fiction when she was 33, has stayed busy with many other notable novels including The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, The Opposite of Fate: Memories of a Writing Life, and two children’s books, The Moon Lady and Sagwa, which has been adapted as a PBS production. Her latest book, The Valley of Amazement, was released in paperback last year.
PETER THIEL
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: FOUNDERS FUND
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Peter Thiel, along with his PayPal partners Ken Howery and Luke Nosek, co-founded Founders Fund, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has funded companies like SpaceX and Airbnb. His first start-up was PayPal, which he co-founded in 1998, and led as chairman and CEO until its sale to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. He founded Clarium Capital Management, a global macro hedge fund; helped launch Palantir Technologies, an analytical software company where he is chairman of the board; and in 2004 made the first outside investment in Facebook, where he serves as a director. His book, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future, was released last fall to rave reviews.
MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
INDUSTRY: MUSIC
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Michael Tilson Thomas is celebrating his 20th anniversary as music director of the San Francisco Symphony. Since becoming music director in 1995, he’s led the transformation of the San Francisco Symphony into one of the world’s leading ensembles. He’s also founder and artistic director of the New World Symphony and principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Affectionately known as MTT, he’s won 11 Grammys for his recordings and is the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. His November wedding to his manager and partner of 38 years, Joshua Mark Robison, made news around the country and was officiated by State Senator Mark Leno.
HELGI TOMASSON
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO BALLET COMPANY
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Since joining the San Francisco Ballet in 1985, artistic director and principal choreographer Helgi Tomasson has evolved America’s oldest professional ballet company into one of the world’s most innovative dance ensembles. The Iceland native and former ballet dancer has choreographed over 40 ballets for the Company and is on the board of directors of the School of American Ballet and the Artistic Committee for the New York Choreographic Institute. He also serves as director of the San Francisco Ballet School.
TREVOR AND ALEXIS TRAINA
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: IF ONLY / SWANSON WINES
INDUSTRY: TECH / WINE
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
This privileged power couple is considered royalty in San Francisco’s high society circles. Serial entrepreneur Trevor Traina sold his first company to Microsoft for $100 million at the age of 28. He is now CEO of his fifth Internet startup, IfOnly, an e-commerce site that sells curated experiences with top luminaries in the fields of food, wine, sports, entertainment and more. His wife, Alexis, is the heiress to the Swanson wine and food fortune and is the creative director at Swanson Vineyards, where she has worked with her father since graduating college. Together they support the arts and raise their children in Pacific Heights.
MEG WHITMAN
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: HEWELTT-PACKARD
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Meg Whitman has built a strong dossier in a corporate world that is largely run by men. The graduate of both Princeton and Harvard held executive positions at The Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks, Procter & Gamble, Hasbro Inc., FTD, Inc., and eBay, of which she was president and CEO for 10 years. After losing the bid to win the California governorship, she was tapped by technology giant Hewlett-Packard in 2011 and became the company’s president and CEO, adding the title of chairman of the board in July. She’ll be the president and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise when the Palo Alto-based company splits into two at the end of fiscal year 2015. Whitman, whose estimated net worth is $2.1 billion, also serves as a director of Procter & Gamble.
DEDE WILSEY
CATEGORY: PHILANTHROPISTS
COMPANY: FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
The strong-willed Dede Wilsey has never rested on the laurels of her privileged upbringing. Determined to help the greater good, she is a prominent figure in the arts and culture social scene of San Francisco, raising over $190 million to rebuild the earthquake-damaged de Young Museum and $400 million for the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay. She’s in her sixth consecutive term as president of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, is a vice chair on the San Francisco Ballet Association Board of Trustees and sits on the board of San Francisco Opera. The Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera opens in early 2016.
NICK WOODMAN
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: GOPRO
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Nick Woodman is founder and CEO of GoPro, a camera company he founded in 2002 but which only recently took the world by storm. His highly versatile cameras, which can be mounted on everything from helmets to surfboards to dog collars, are used by millions of consumers, athletes and video-production professionals. Woodman took his company public last year, becoming a billionaire in the process, and serves as chairman of its board of directors. In October, he and his wife Jill Woodman gifted 5.8 million shares of GoPro, worth about $500 million, to the Silicon Valley Community Fouundation.
JED YORK
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
INDUSTRY: SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Jed York is the CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, one of the most celebrated football franchises in the NFL. York, whose family owns the 49ers, has held the position for five years, making a series of bold decisions that led his team to the Super Bowl in 2013. He’s also a community leader, serving as a board member at Tipping Point Community, the Commonwealth Club of California, Bay Area Council and Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
MARK ZUCKERBERG
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: FACEBOOK
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder, chairman and CEO of the most popular social networking site in the world, has seen his net worth more than double to $39.7 billion as Facebook—used by 864 million people daily—continues to experience incredible growth fueled by mobile advertising. Zuckerberg is spreading the wealth. The young billionaire generously donated 18 million Facebook shares, worth $970 million at the time, to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in December 2012 for education initiatives. Last fall, he and wife Priscilla Chan donated $25 million to help fight Ebola. He’s also signed The Giving Pledge.
RANDI ZUCKERBERG
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: ZUCKERBERG MEDIA
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Randi Zuckerberg may not be the most famous person in her family, but Mark Zuckerberg’s older sister has created her own triumphs. As the founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media, she’s produced shows and digital content for The Clinton Global Initiative, Cirque du Soleil,and the United Nations, to name a few. Zuckerberg also aims to untangle our modern, wired lives through her website, Dot Complicated, also the title of her 2013 bestseller. In addition, she’s a musician and actress. Last spring, she starred in “Rock of Ages” on Broadway.
News
January 30, 2015Preview: London Fashion Weekend
