Gary Kunis
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Cisco
FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Culture, Education & Youth, Human Services & Humanitarian, Environment & Animals
OVERVIEW: Gary Kunis moves his philanthropy through the Kunis Foundation, which has lately given modest annual sums. Top interests include the arts and education. Kunis is involved with schools including Singapore Management University.
BACKGROUND: Gary Kunis graduated from SUNY Binghamton in 1973. He was involved in the design, implementation and operation of large scale data and telecommunications networks for several U.S. government agency programs, including the Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy. He joined Cisco Systems, where he was vice president and chief science officer.
ISSUES:
ARTS & CULTURE: Kunis is on the board of Seattle Aquarium, which he supports via his foundation. Other grantees have included Seattle Arboretum, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Public Library, Ira Block Photography, Seattle Zoo, and Smithsonian.
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Kunis has been involved with Singapore Management University for more than a decade and provides support to aspiring entrepreneurs at the institutions through the Gary Kunis Scholarship in Entrepreneurship and Technopreneurship. He’s also supported his alma mater SUNY Binghamton, to which he’s given at least $1.6 million since 1999. The school is home to the Seymour Kunis Media Core and the Kunis Scholarship for Watson School Student Excellence. Other grantees have included St. Joseph’s Indian School and Seattle Central College.
HUMAN SERVICES & HUMANITARIAN: Grantees have included Feeding America, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and Humane Society US.
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS: Support has gone to Ocean Conservancy, National Parks Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, and ASPCA.
LOOKING FORWARD: No longer with Cisco, Kunis has said that he’s focused on private entrepreneurial and philanthropic interests. Perhaps more money will move out of his foundation in the coming years.
CONTACT:
Kunis Foundation
2319 1st Ave, 802
Seattle, WA 98121
LINK: Gary Kunis Linkedin
