President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the most successful investor in the world. Buffett is the Chairman, CEO, and principal shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, and is ranked among the richest people in the world. He was named the richest person in the world in 2008, and the third richest in 2015. In 2012, Time described Buffett as one of the most influential people in the world.
The Oracle of Omaha
Buffett is often called the “Wizard of Omaha,” the “Oracle of Omaha,” or the “Sage of Omaha,” and is known for his commitment to value investing and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. Buffett is a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily through the Gates Foundation. On April 11, 2012, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, for which he successfully completed treatment in September 2012. Buffett is also active in contributing to political causes, having supported Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton for president in 2016.
Early Life and Education
Buffett was born in 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, with distant French Huguenot ancestry. He was the second of three children and the only son of Leila (née Stahl) and Congressman Howard Buffett. He began his education at Rose Hill Elementary School. In 1942, his father was elected to the first of four terms in the U.S. Congress, and after moving with his family to Washington, D.C., Warren finished elementary school, attended Alice Deal Junior High, and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1947, where his yearbook caption read: “Likes math; a future stockbroker.” After finishing high school and finding success in his side business and investing ventures, Buffett wanted to skip college to go straight into business, but his father did not support the idea.