* Leading organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): Community LIFT, Memphis CDFI Network, etc. He has also served as chairman of the Robert F. Kennedy center for Justice and Human Rights in the past. You are responsible for building strong, safe places where our young brothers and sisters can grow with confidence, watch and learn from positive role models, and believe that, they too, are entitled to the American Dream. -Robert F. Smith @RFS_Vista #MorehouseGrad2019 pic.twitter.com/CeMs6CxQkq, Morehouse College (@Morehouse) May 19, 2019. We will only grasp the staggering potential of our time if we create on-ramps that empower all people to participate, regardless of background, country of origin, religious practice, gender, or color of skin. The nations top corporations can reverse this by rebuilding these key infrastructures by allocating 2% of their net profits for the next 10 years to four key pillars: Banking and Financial Services, Healthcare, Education and Technology and the Digital Divide. Robert, on the other hand, has donated more than $250,000 to Republican campaigns and political groups. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance. He avoided further penalties and prosecution by agreeing to assist the DOJ in its case against Brockman, which would later result in the largest tax evasion prosecution in U.S. history. Dec 11, 2022, 10:03 AM. Some of their responsibilities include overseeing the Primary, Candidate Filing, and other elections; chairing County Executive Committee Meetings; organizing and leading the local party; as well as overseeing and/or assisting with precinct and county or Senate District Conventions as required. No charges or citations were filed against him regarding the wreck. Yes, he's richer than Oprah. Robert is . Scale technical assistance $15M: fund*to expand technical assistance through business coaches and wrap-around services for 500+ MBEs over 5 years to help them scale from <$1M to $5M+ in annual revenue, 2. 3 min read Billionaire Robert Smith reportedly got closer to Ivanka Trump as the IRS closed in on him Billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith is known for his. Jonathan Marino contributed to an earlier version of this story. Here's a look at Smith's life and career. Robert F. Smith received accolades from a number of different organizations for his charitable work, entrepreneurship and industry leadership. *Uh oh. He's the founder of the . In May, Smith appeared on NBCs Meet the Press and deemed the leadership in Washington, people like Ivanka Trump and Senator [sic] Mnuchin, who have been very engaged with the Black community. Smith made a shrewd move in acquiring Sunquest Information Systems Inc., for a relative bargain price of $327 million$200 million in equity and $127 million in debt. Smith is a billionaire who has amassed a fortune largely through his company, Vista Equity Partners. Before he was wiping out Morehouse College student debt, he was patenting coffee brewing at Kraft", "Who Is Robert F. Smith, the Man Paying Off Morehouse Graduates' Loans? Incredible supporter of the administrations actions on HBCUs, Ivanka said at the Sept. 23 event that Smith attended virtually. What a time to be a Morehouse Man. Accessed August 25, 2021. "They said I could apply if I were a junior or senior in college. [16], In August 2020, Bloomberg News reported that Robert Smith had been under investigation by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on allegations of tax evasion since 2014. Fund modernization & capacity-building and provide in-kind subject matter experts $30M: help 4-5 CDFIs/MDIs* over 5 years modernize their core systems, hire and train staff, expand marketing and standup SWAT team of experts to conduct needs diagnostic, implement tech solution & provide technical assistance. He went on to study at Cornell and Columbia universities, and he worked at Goldman Sachs before starting his own investment firm. The Commission maintains a database of individuals who have made contributions to federally registered political committees. His bio from Black Enterprise reads in part. Robert F. Smith. [13], Also in 2016, the Foundation gave $3 million to the Southern Poverty Law Center to support left-progressive criminal justice policy. In May and June, Smith made daily calls to Secretary Mnuchin regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. As of April 2021, Smith was the wealthiest Black American, with a net worth of $6 billion. The County Chair is the leader of the local party in each county throughout the state. Fund HBCU campus-wide internet up to $50M in donations or in-kind: Partner with the Student Freedom Initiative to deliver campus-wide high-speed internet at ~10 HBCUs across SCI regions, 6. Smith did not flee the scene, was cooperative with investigators, and was determined to not be under the influence of intoxicants at the time of the wreck. Smith was accused of conspiring with billionaire software CEO Robert Brockman to conceal his income by routing proceeds from Vista Equity Partners through Caribbean shell corporations secretly owned by Smith. Throughout his life, Smith has continuously supported a number of philanthropies and causes. In 2013,BEnamed the firm BE100s Financial Services Company of the Year and Smith as one of the Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street. * In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: First Bancshares, Commonwealth National Bank, TruFund, Sabre Finance, Bronze Valley, etc. The pedestrian was in the crosswalk when Smith hit him with his car, and he later died at the scene. CEO and founder of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners. Political Campaign Contributions. [43], In 2015, Smith sponsored the college education of all returned Boko Haram girls. Castle, Michael D. Black In America This Century Hurts. Lulu.com. Robert F. Smith in Berlin, February 2018 (, https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/04/06/jay-z-kanye-west-and-tyler-perry-seven-richest-african-americans/4579811001/, https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/19/business/robert-smith-billionaire-morehouse-gift-trnd/index.html, https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/2/24/robert-f-smith-talks-black-philanthropy-systemic-change-and-addresses-tax-scandal, https://books.google.com/books?id=nBaqDAAAQBAJ&q=Robert+Frederick+Smith+1962&pg=PT71#v=snippet&q=Robert%20Frederick%20Smith%201962&f=false, https://robertsmith.com/about-robert-f-smith/, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/472396669/02_2021_prefixes_47-47%2F472396669_201911_990PF_2021021317706243, https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/472396669_201911_990PF_2021021317706243.pdf, https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/472396669_201711_990PF_2018120715985020.pdf, https://robertsmith.com/2-percent-solution/, https://robertsmith.com/southern-communities-initiative/, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-21/billionaire-robert-smith-fighting-u-s-criminal-tax-inquiry, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8816479/Billionaire-befriended-Trumps-inner-circle-investigation-dodging-taxes.html, Fund II Foundation No matter our skin color or our political beliefs, we must all agree that the right to vote is foundational to our democracy and who we are." -Robert F. Smith In March 2021 and again in January 2022 Smith collaborated with dozens of Black executives and the Freedom to Vote Alliance to condemn new voting restrictions that harken back to Jim Crow. from 1999 to present. [16][17][18] Vista has invested in companies such as STATS, Ping Identity, and Jio. Over the years, Smith has made major contributions to the National African American History Museum, Carnegie Hall, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Cornell University, Morehouse College and many other organizations. American investor, inventor, engineer, philanthropist, entrepreneur. Robert F. Smith was born to two working-class parents in a predominantly African American, middle-class neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. Toggle navigation VoterRecords.com. Partygoers weren't . October 8, 2020. [15], In 2018, as part of the 2% Solution, Smith launched the Southern Communities Initiative, an effort to invest in infrastructure, businesses, and education in heavily Black communities in the southern United States. August 21, 2020. Moving Forward. Robert F. Smith Talks About the Future of His Philanthropy. Inside Philanthropy. He is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, focused on investing and partnering with leading enterprise software companies. "Patriot Mobile Action is a new entity created to put . Born in Prussia, Wagner migrated with his family to the United States in 1885. [75] In April 2020, Governor Greg Abbott named Smith to the Strike Force to Open Texas a group "tasked with finding safe and effective ways to slowly reopen the state" amid the COVID-19 pandemic. [69][70][71][72] He had previously donated $1.5 million to the school in January 2019, to be used for scholarships and a park. Offer more paid internships: signup onto InternX and offer 25+ additional paid internships per year to HBCU/Black students, 4. And I thought, what can I do to uplift their spirit that is already high? [1] When he was an infant, his mother apparently carried him at the March on Washington, where the Rev. Background Report. [1] He attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor's degree in agriculture. "I tell people there's nothing greater than liberating the human spirit," Smith told Business Insider about the gift. Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 5K+ additional college grads & ~600 workers with senior exec positions / high-paying wages to drive ~$0.2B in economic growth, 6. Today, Smith is Vistas Chairman and CEO. [25] In a June 2020 report, Time reported the launch of The Student Freedom Initiative, a nonprofit led by Smith, to benefit HBCU students. * In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: Community Unlimited, Hope Credit Union, River City Capital, United Housing Inc, etc. TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. He was Speaker of the House for the 1969 and 1971 sessions. [7], "Kaye Tomlinson and Robert F. Smith Wed at Church Nuptials", "SMITH, Robert Freeman | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". [1][9][10], After graduating from Cornell, Smith worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Air Products & Chemicals, and later at Kraft General Foods as a chemical engineer,[1] where he registered two United States and two European patents. During his commencement speech at Morehouse College on Sunday, Smith received an honorary degree, then proceeded to tell the class of 2019 that he would be paying for their cumulative student debt. So the next generation can go even higher., Robert F. Smith says his mother's giving help inspire his philanthropy: "She instilled in me the importance of giving to the community" https://t.co/c4NHbWdOsS pic.twitter.com/vu6kamY7IB. In 2019, the foundation raised more than $22 million and spent almost $36 million. Raise community awareness & adoption of Emergency Broadband Benefit: increase door-to-door and community outreach in low-income neighborhoods to get households onto EBB to help connect ~135K unconnected households, * Lead organization: The Collective Blueprint; Contributing local organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): CodeCrew, Estimated impact (of all initiatives): ~135K households connected to high-speed internet to unlock ~$2B+ in economic potential, Lead community organization: Greater Houston Partnership, 1. Smith has donated at least $1.6 million to the Democratic National Committee, according to Open Secrets, a non-profit, nonpartisan research group that tracks the effects of money and lobbying on elections and public policy. Robert is registered to vote in Hancock County, Ohio. [60] Also in 2018, Smith donated $1 million to the Cultural Performance Center at the Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park in Harlem, which was later renamed the Robert Frederick Smith Center for Performing Arts. What to know about Robert F. Smith, the man paying off Morehouse grads student loans. CNN Business. Vista uses a personality test developed by IBM that measures social and technical skills, as well as applicants' interest in arts and humanities. [5], On February 8, 2016, Smith struck and killed a pedestrian while driving in Medford, Oregon. Smith,. Commit to increase racial diversity in supply chain and procurement: increase MBE spend in Greater Houston region* to 5-10%+, * One Houston Together serves as lead (please contact if you are interested in funding these initiatives), ** Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HSMDC) serves as a partner organization (please contact if you are interested in learning more about this initiative), Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.5x increase in MBE value & ~55K new jobs, boosting Black communitys net worth by ~$12B, 4. Standup training hub $30M: fund* the establishment a world-class training hub that offers certificate-granting STEM and innovation programs in advanced manufacturing, health care, etc. [61], Smith has received the Candle in Business and Philanthropy Award from Morehouse College,[62] the International Medical Corps Humanitarian of the Year Award,[63] Ebonys John H. Johnson Award,[64] and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Chairman's Award, among others. Download theGrio today! * In partnership with National Bankers Association and Appalachian Community Capital; CDFIs/MDIs being considered include: Security Federal Bank, Institute / North Carolina Community Development Initiative, Sequoyah Fund Inc, etc. Standup MBE fund $15M: standup/scale MBE fund* to offer more flexible access to capital arrangements 400-500 MBEs over 5 years, * Lead organization: The Collective Blueprint; Contributing local organizations for community strategy include (but not limited to): Community Unlimited, Womens Business Center South, Epicenter, others, Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.3x increase in MBE value & 20K+ new jobs, boosting Black communitys net worth by ~$3B+, Modernize CDFI/MDI systems and tech as well as recruit and upskill talent to increase CDFI/MDI capacity and ability to inject more capital into Black communities, 3. 77th United States Secretary of the Treasury, Morehouse College Student Success Program, Billionaire Robert Smith reaches $140 million tax settlement with DOJ. Smith, by the way, made . Robert F. Smith prioritizes making a difference in the communities where he lives and works. [22], In 2016, Smith was named as Private Equity International's Game Changer of the Year for his work with Vista. Share 20.8K. [87][88][89], Smith has three children with his first wife. ", "Influential Black Entrepreneurs - Robert Smith", "Vista Equity: The Biggest Software Group You've Never Heard Of", "Robert F. Smith - Vista Equity Partners", "Vista Equity Partners to pay $1.9 billion in private-equity deal for Apptio", "Vista Equity Partners to invest $1.5B in India's Reliance Jio Platforms", "Vista Equity Partners Is Acquiring Ping Identity", "What to know about Robert F. Smith, the man paying off Morehouse grads' student loans", "Vista's Smith named PEI's 2016 'Game Changer', "Cover Story: Robert F. Smith, Chairman & CEO of Vista Equity Partners", "Who Is Robert F. Smith? Robert Frederick Smith (born December 1, 1962) is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. Philanthropy. Robert F. Smith. [23], The 2019 PitchBook Private Equity Awards named Vista Equity Partners "Dealmaker of the Year". He then pulled up at @Morehouses graduation this morning, received an honorary doctorate, and said hes establishing a grant to pay off everyones student loans in the class of 2019 ? In a 2015 interview with Columbia Business School, Smith said fly fishing helps him be "more mindful, more thoughtful," adding: "It makes you slow down and actually focus. To empower technology companies in the enterprise software market, Smith launched Vista Equity Partners, a global investment firm, in 2000. He is also a major donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Chairman of Carnegie Hall, and the Chairman of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, among many others. Smith cooperated with the investigation and agreed to admit misconduct but will not be prosecuted, according to reports. However, that did not stop Ivanka from aligning herself with the tech giant. In 1689, the British Parliament passed an extensive bill of rights, including the right to keep and bear arms (the people had just had to fight a real civil war). Provide in-kind staff: offer 2-5 FTEs to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (CRBA)over 5 years to track Black-/Brown-executive representation, convene corporate partners to develop executive pipeline and hiring plans and support corporate partners to increase representation from ~10% to 30%+, Estimated impact (of all initiatives): 2.5K+ additional college graduates and 2.5K workers with high-paying wages to drive ~$0.2B in economic growth, 7. Vista has posting annualized returns of 22% since its beginning, according to Forbes. [4] Upon his return, he was elected chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, but only served one term before retiring for good. Billionaire, philanthropist Robert F. Smith lobbies Washington, Wall Street for funding for minority businesses during pandemic - The Washington Post Advertisement This article was. Voreacos, David; Weinberg, Neil. 2012 Election Cycle. Political party: Republican: . Be an advocate for SCI priorities: engage federal and state agencies to drive policy and funding improvements to better support SCIs near-term priorities, E.g., Engage the Small Business Administration and Minority Business Development Agency to increase technical assistance programs and annual spend to better support Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) with capital and scaling needs, E.g., Ask the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include multi-dwelling unit connectivity in its new broadband connectivity maps and ask the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to allow non-FCC data in state broadband plans to unlock ~$285M in potential government broadband funding for 5 SCI regions. 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