Jeff and Laurie Ubben
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: ValueAct Capital
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Arts & Culture, Environment
OVERVIEW: Jeff and Laurie Ubben have made large individual gifts. Past grantees include Northwestern University and their mutual school Duke University. Jeff also serves on the board of his parents’ Ubben Foundation, where grantmaking addresses education and other causes. According to available tax filings, the Ubben Foundation awarded $176,000 in grants in 2018.
BACKGROUND: Jeff Ubben graduated with a B.A. from Duke University in 1983 and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 1987. Ubben was a Managing Partner at Blum Capital Partners for more than five years. He went on to found ValueAct Capital in 2000.
Laurie Ubben graduated from Duke University in 1984. She is co-founder of San Francisco’s Bird School of Music and was executive producer of the film “Loving Vincent.”
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Ubben family are major benefactors of Posse Foundation, a national college access and youth leadership development nonprofit that provides four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarships. The extended family has given Posse at least $50 million through the years. Ubben’s father Timothy joined Posse’s national board of directors in 2000 and spearheaded the opening of the Chicago chapter, becoming Posse Chicago’s founding board chair. Ubben, meanwhile, is on the board of Posse and supports the organization with Laurie.
The Ubbens gave Northwestern University $50 million for student scholarships. Ubben sits on the board of Northwestern.
In 2017, the Ubbens made a $5.5 million gift to the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern to establish the Ubben Program for Climate and Carbon Science. That same year, Northwestern announced that the Ubbens, along with Tim Sullivan and his wife, Sue, committed a total of $3 million to Northwestern Athletics and Recreation to establish the Sullivan-Ubben Head Men’s Basketball Coaching position.
The couple has also supported their mutual alma mater Duke University, where Ubben played club football. They recently directed a total of $15 million to their school, $10 million of which supported activities in the new arts center. A $2.5 million portion of the gift is for Duke Alumni Association programming. The remaining $2.5 million is split between the Duke club sports program, which offers 37 different teams, and the athletics department and its 27 varsity teams.
Laurie serves on the board and national advisory committee of Youth Speaks, one of the world's leading presenters of spoken-word performance, education and youth development programs.
ARTS & CULTURE: Ubben sits on the board of American Conservatory Theater, which the couple steadily support.
ENVIRONMENT: The Ubbens gave $20 million toward the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) conservation work and $5 million to Duke University, earmarked for a partnership between WWF and the Nicholas School of the Environment.
LOOKING FORWARD: Only in his 50s, Ubben should be watched for greater giving down the line. His parents’ long-running Ubben Foundation should also be watched when giving shifts to the next generation.
CONTACT:
The Ubben Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:
Ubben Foundation
9 Briar Ln.
Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-7401
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