C. Michael and Anne Armstrong

SOURCE OF WEALTH: IBM

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Health & Human Services, Religious 

OVERVIEW: C. Michael Armstrong and his wife Anne do their grantmaking through the Armstrong Foundation, which gave away around $971,000 in a past year. The Armstrongs have made tens of millions in grants to Johns Hopkins University, with a priority for medical research, as well as around $25 million over the past ten years to Miami University, Armstrong’s alma mater. Connecticut, Colorado and Florida are important regions of giving. 

BACKGROUND: C. Michael Armstrong was born in Detroit and attended Miami University in Ohio, where he earned a B.S. in business in 1961. Armstrong began his 31-year career with IBM as a systems engineer and rose through the ranks to become senior vice president and to lead international operations as chairman of the board of the IBM World Trade Corporation. Armstrong was also chairman and CEO of Hughes Electronics, and chairman and CEO of AT&T. He served as chair of Comcast Corporation, retiring in 2004.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Armstrongs have been strongly involved with Johns Hopkins University through the years. Armstrong's relationship with Johns Hopkins began when IBM assigned each of its senior executives to adopt a hospital. He served as chairman of the board of trustees for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation, and the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was also vice chairman of Johns Hopkins University's board of trustees. In 2002, the couple endowed the C. Michael Armstrong Professorship in Medicine to support Johns Hopkins’ leadership role in stem cell research, followed in 2004 by a $4 million bequest. 

In 2005, the couple made $20 million in grants toward the Anne and Mike Armstrong Medical Education Building, and in 2011, gave $10 million for the creation of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality.

Armstrong is co-founder and past president of Connecticut’s A Better Chance in Darien, and past president of the Darien YMCA. The Armstrongs, via their foundation, have supported University of Vermont, Waterside School, Prep for Prep, Vanderbilt University, and Teach for America. They have also given heavily to Miami University, from which they both graduated.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: Grantees include Lyme Research Alliance, Harry Chapin Food Bank, Stamford Hospital Foundation, and Telluride Medical Center Foundation. 

ARTS & CULTURE: Armstrong is on the board of Artis-Naples, which the couple steadily supports. Grantees include Silvermine Arts Center and Naples Botanical Garden.

OTHER: The Armstrongs direct significant funds to Naples United Church of Christ. They have supported global organizations Doctors Without Borders and People for Guatemala, a "humanitarian organization dedicated to the population of San Martin, Jilotepeque, offering integral health services, education opportunities and community development to create healthy families and productive communities."

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the couple to stick with these interests. 

CONTACT:

Armstrong Foundation
c/o Ayco Co, P.O. Box 15014
Albany, NY 12212