Silicon Valley One - Summer 2008 - (Page 18) “I would just as soon donate my money now, while I’m alive, to see what good it can do.” education. I think it’s critical to be educated, and I try to support things all the way from kindergarten up through universities. I am legally blind, have vision impairment, so I have a natural affinity to vision research and groups that support people with low vision or vision loss. We’re trying to make a level playing field for employment and give them other opportunities. Lately, I have gotten back pretty involved with my alma mater, Oregon State. We endowed a scholarship fund, so every year there are a couple dozen—up to 50 kids, actually— who get scholarships. Then we go up there and meet all the new recipients. think about your own personal philanthropy, how do you think about that question of effectiveness? I think it’s important to see the results, but it’s also important to just believe that people who really have the needs to use the money effectively will take good care of your funds and use them in positive ways. In some areas, it’s just impossible to see a real immediate result. That may be in the area of basic research, like the cause of an eye disease. Researchers might be doing something today that isn’t going to come to fruition for 50 years. But nothing would happen if that basic research wasn’t happening today. Bernie Newcomb, right, discusses his philanthropy philosophy with Emmett D. Carson. You mentioned the advantages of assistive technologies for education. How do we expand that throughout the schools and throughout our communities? It’s really tough, because it’s hard to get the word out that assistive technology is here. I’m part of the generation before there was widespread use of assistive technologies, but no one told me I couldn’t do things, and so I just muddled through and did them. It wasn’t great, but it’s all I had. But I’d love to see assistive technologies become more widespread. Right now I am involved with Bookshare (www.bookshare.org), which provides books in electronic form to anyone with any kind of [vision impairment] I hope the more widespread use of technologies like this gives a chance for everybody to be more productive. I’m in favor of absolutely anything that helps the next generation of kids get educated and become worthwhile, productive, happy people. If you were an entrepreneur starting up in Silicon Valley today, where would you focus? Oh boy, that’s tough. You know, I still see endless things going on. I ended up starting in the 1960s in data processing, but there are lots and lots of things happening in biotech and medical research and medicine and pharmaceuticals. And more and more is getting tied to electronics. I would say there are probably just tons of ideas that could be implemented or pursued at least here locally. You know, to be an entrepreneur or be involved in a startup, you have to be willing to give up everything all the time. It’s a survival process based on persistence and stubbornness. Still, you can miss so much, especially if you have a family. So, to any entrepreneur, I would say: Take your vacations! Do you see your interest in philanthropy evolving or changing over the next few years? I think I am going to try and narrow the focus so I can have more impact on the things that mean the most to me. If you spread your dollars too thin, then everybody benefits, but nobody gets that little bit that pushes them over the top and makes a really big difference. I would like to see a couple of projects that I deal with have an extra boost. What are the challenges facing the Silicon Valley community? What gives you hope? Well, I am not very discouraged, although the prices of living here are getting out of hand for a whole lot of people who are trying to live here. That’s worrisome. But I think all in all, it’s a pretty positive environment. Silicon Valley seems to have a way of reinventing itself as we go from computers to biotech to pharmaceuticals. It’s still a pretty incredible place to live. Do you still maintain interest in tracking the financial market? Oh, I just watch it like most people. Even though I helped create this ability for people to do this sort of research for themselves, I have turned most of my financial stuff over to the professionals and let them manage it. I prefer that. Ironically, I just don’t trust myself to manage my own finances very well. one robert houser One of the big debates in philanthropy that donors often talk about is knowing when your philanthropy has been effective. When you 18 o n e innovation through philanthropy www.siliconvalleycf.org http://www.bookshare.org http://www.siliconvalleycf.org
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