On Tuesday, Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Verona, Wis.-based Epic Systems announced plans to give away 99% of her wealth to philanthropy, Forbes report. Faulkner joins 136 other individuals and families in the Giving Pledge led by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes either during their lifetime or in their will.
In her formal pledge letter Faulkner wrote, “Epic needs to be strong, successful, and financially secure so that we can continue to support the healthcare community and build creative solutions for the future. But I never had any personal desire to be a wealthy billionaire living lavishly. My estate plan has the money from my Epic shares going into a foundation. The foundation will give money to healthcare and do other things as well—reduce the disparity of care, improve education especially for those who don’t have equal opportunities, and if possible, help create a more peaceful world.”
She continued, “Many years ago I asked my young children what two things they needed from their parents. They said ‘food and money.’ I told them ‘roots and wings.’ My goal in pledging 99% of my assets to philanthropy is to help others with roots—food, warmth, shelter, healthcare, education—so they too can have wings.”
Faulkner’s net worth is valued at $2.3 billion, according to Forbes.
