Ronald Whittier
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Intel
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Health (cancer research)
OVERVIEW: Ronald Whittier and family move their philanthropy through the Ronald Whittier Family Foundation, which gave away $1118,450 in a recent year. The family also established the FamiliesCAN program to help cancer patients, and the Whittier Educational Foundation, also known as TechFutures.
BACKGROUND: Ronald J. Whittier was born and raised in San Francisco and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a B.Sc. in chemical engineering in 1960. After working in the chemical industry, he received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Stanford University in 1965. He spent five years at Fairchild's R&D division working on silicon devices before joining Intel in 1970, retiring as a senior vice president in 2000.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH: In 2000, Whittier established the Whittier Educational Foundation (TechFutures) to give underserved West Contra Costa Unified School District students a leg up in college and career opportunities through technology. TechFutures now supports the three Information Technology Academies (at the El Cerrito, Kennedy, and De Anza High Schools) by "providing curriculum, work-based learning support, technical infrastructure support, and college/career training." Via their foundation, the family has supported Saint Francis High School, Summit Preparatory School, and Young Dreamer Network, " a non-profit organization on a mission to empower youth to be difference makers both locally and globally through scholarships and service-learning programs."
HEALTH: The Whittiers founded the FamiliesCAN program to help families dealing with cancer. The program is funded by the Whittier foundation. The primary focus of FamiliesCAN is to provide financial support for patients. The outfit also provides emotional support for patients by connecting them with a variety of cancer-related resources in the community, including Camp Kesem, a camp for the children of cancer patients. The family has a strong interest in cancer research. Grantees include Canary Foundation, Cornell University Weill Medical Center, American Cancer Society, Lucille Packard Foundation for Children's Health, and UCLA Department Of Surgery - Liver & Pancreatic Transplantation.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the Whittiers to continue to strongly support educational and health causes, particularly the nonprofits they established.
CONTACT:
Ronald Whittier Family Foundation
3130 Alpine Road, Suite 288 PMB 602
Portola Valley, CA 94028
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