David Bohnett
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| David Bohnett | |
As of 2019, David Bohnett (b. April 2, 1956) was a successful internet entrepreneur and the chairman of the David Bohnett Foundation. With the David Bohnett Foundation, he was "committed to improving society through social activism. We pursue our mission by providing funding, state-of-the-art technology and technical support to innovative organizations and institutions that, in addition to meeting our funding guidelines, share our vision."
Bohnett was a significant donor to the "No on Prop 8" campaign in 2008. In 2009, as various efforts to repeal Proposition 8 were underway, Bohnett said that he and other "major No on 8 donors" were not clear that 2010 was the right year and that "we will step up to the plate — with resources and talent — when the time is right."[1]
Bohnett spearheaded an effort aimed at repealing California's Proposition 13.[2] Bohnett believed that Proposition 13 "has been an unmitigated disaster for California...The decline in the quality of life in California can be traced to Prop 13's passage....As an active funder of cultural arts and social services in California and the nation, I care deeply about the welfare of all Californians. We must elect legislators that are willing to take on this difficult task, and change a bad luck proposition into the good fortune and promise for which the Golden State has always stood."[3]
Business involvements
Bohnett founded and was the managing member of Baroda Ventures, a private equity firm. He was the CEO of OVGuide.com, a guide to online video. He founded GeoCities in 1994. GeoCities was acquired by Yahoo! in 1999 and at one time, was one of the four most trafficked sites on the internet.
Bohnett was an active partner in Xdrive.com, Wireimage.com, Stamps.com and LowerMyBills.com, and held various positions in the software industry for Legent and Goal Systems.
Bohnett received an M.B.A in Finance from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in business administration from the University of Southern California.
Philanthrophy
As of 2016, Bohnett was the Chairman of the Board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, a board member of the California Community Foundation, and a trustee of amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
According to the Los Angeles Times Magazine, "He has an unwavering determination to right wrongs, a very big heart and a fierce intelligence....He invests where he can actually improve lives, empower individuals and build viable communities in meaningful ways. He lives with his partner, Tom Gregory, in an architectural masterpiece filled with contemporary art, one-of-a-kind design masterpieces and Tom’s mind-boggling collection of autographed photographs of Hollywood legends."[4]
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New York Times, "Backers of Gay Marriage Rethink California Push," July 26, 2009
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Internet pioneer pushes social change through investing, activism," November 29, 2011
- ↑ Huffington Post, "On Prop 13 -- Time to Amend and Correct," May 6, 2010
- ↑ Los Angeles Times Magazine, "Eli Broad and David Bohnett," May 2009
