From Our Executive Director - Jean Hart

(From the October 2006 Newsletter)

Many of you know Paul Shoemaker, Executive Director of Social Venture Partners Seattle for more than eight years. Paul was a founder of SVP Seattle, the president of the SVPI board of directors and a source of inspiration and wisdom to all of us.

Paul wrote the following shortly after Bill Gates, Microsoft CEO until June of this year, transitioned to "full-time philanthropist", in his words. I want to share Paul's thoughts with you. He draws parallels between Bill Gates' move and the SVP partners.

"When asked by a journalist what effect Bill's move might have on the nonprofit sector as opposed to just funding his foundation, it strikes me that my description of his role, his potential, the assets he brings, his leadership, is very similar to how I would describe an SVP partner who was taking on an increased leadership role with a nonprofit or moving from a private sector position to a nonprofit career. Other than a few zeros and a bit more fame, I could just as easily have been describing any number of SVP people. Each of these partners, like Gates, is making significant life changes to apply their experience, skills, brains and heart to working on tough social problems.

"Don't get me wrong, money is absolutely necessary but it is almost always insufficient as well. It is the human capital that ultimately makes the difference. How much financial capital did Mother Theresa have? How much financial capital did Muhammad Yunus have 25 years ago in Bangladesh where he founded the concept of microfinance which has now spread across the globe, including SVP Seattle partner Mike Murray's Unitus locally. How much difference did the human (vs. financial) capital make in SVP Seattle partner Heidi Craemer's work with Roxanne Lyons back in the late 90's that helped enable New Futures to be where it is today?

"If we've learned anything over the last 8 l/2 years it is that our human capital is the true leverage point, the difference maker. I'm confident Gates would agree. A few months back I was at a conference speaking to a small group and suggested that in 100 years more people would know the name Bill Gates for his global health and/or education work than for Microsoft. Just as, I suspect, more people could now tell you the role Andrew Carnegie played in the public library system than know he founded U.S. Steel. Time will tell, but given Gates' decision last week, I think the odds just went up.

"When all is said and done, I can not help but believe that more and more SVP partners will also be known for their civic and philanthropic leadership than for their previous private sector careers. I see many such examples in SVP Seattle. Maybe our work with Athena Water will provide the funding that finally leads to a cure for breast cancer. Maybe our work with Grameen Village Phone Program in Uganda will help cut poverty there in half over the next 25 years. Maybe our work with the Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation will help find a real solution to Puget Sound sprawl. Maybe…

"No matter how many zeros come with your name, your potential to change the world has a lot more to do with your brain, your heart, your commitment, your ingenuity. As each partner continues their work, I think it is nothing but exhilarating to know that someone like Bill Gates has decided to make the same kind of life transition that many SVP partners all across the network have already made. Welcome to our world, Bill."