Henry Kravis - Philanthropy and Public Positions

Philanthropy and Public Positions

The Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership identifies extraordinary leaders in the nonprofit sector, celebrates their accomplishments and shares their best practices with others. The Prize is presented and administered by Claremont McKenna College (CMC) and Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis. Marie-Josée Kravis, an economist, is a senior fellow of the Hudson Institute. Henry R. Kravis is an alumnus and trustee of Claremont McKenna College. The Kravis Prize is affiliated with the Kravis Leadership Institute, a research institute at Claremont McKenna College.

Established in 2006, the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership chooses an annual recipient who has demonstrated bold and visionary leadership within the nonprofit sector. A formal award ceremony celebrates the recipient's accomplishments, and $250,000 is directed to a nonprofit organization designated by the recipient. Collectively, the first five Prize recipients have impacted more than 500 million people in more than 60 countries on five continents.

The 2011 Kravis Prize was awarded to Vicky Colbert and the Escuela Nueva Foundation. Past recipients include Pratham in 2010, Sakena Yacoobi in 2009, F.A.W.E. in 2008, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in 2007, and Roy Prosterman in 2007

Additionally, Kravis funds the Henry Kravis Leadership Institute that sponsors the Leadership Studies programs at Claremont McKenna College, and the "Henry Kravis Internships for Teachers of Color" program. He has also financed the construction of extensive facilities at Middlesex School (Kravis House), the Eaglebrook School (Kravis Dorm), Deerfield Academy (Kravis Arena), and The Loomis Chaffee School (Kravis Hall).

He is a benefactor and a past chairman of New York's public television station and sits on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A Trustee of the Mount Sinai Medical Center, Henry and wife Marie-Josée Kravis donated $15 million to establish the "Center for Cardiovascular Health" as well as funding a Professorship. They have also endowed the chair in Human Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

He previously co-chaired with Jerry Speyer the influential Partnership for New York City, founded by David Rockefeller in 1979, and now sits on its board of directors. He created the New York City Investment Fund, a non-profit organization to create jobs and new business in New York City.

He is a Trustee of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, and is a member of the Executive Committtee of The Business Council for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. He co-chairs the Columbia Business School Board of Overseers where he recently pledged a gift of $100 million to support the school's new campus project and is a vice-chairman of Rockefeller University.