Jon Huntsman
- Huntsman started out buying up downtrodden businesses with borrowed money through his Huntsman Chemical, founded in 1982.
- In all, he purchased 34 companies, including Texaco’s petrochemicals operation for $1.06 billion in 1994.
- A two-time cancer survivor, he founded an institute to find a cure for the disease.
- He’s given money to Wharton, where he earned a degree, and signed the Giving Pledge.
Jon Huntsman currently has a net worth of $1 billion. He turned Huntsman Corp. from fast-food container supplier into America’s largest private chemical company via acquisitions. Took public 2004; personally netted $275 million. Sued Apollo Management after firm backed away from buyout agreement; settled for $1 billion in 2008. In 2010 won $1.7 million settlement from Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank over roles in the spoiled deal. He is the father of former United States Ambassador to China and former Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman, Jr.
In 1992 Jon Huntsman Sr. was diagnosed with prostate cancer; on the way to the hospital for treatment, he made three stops: First the chemicals mogul dropped by a homeless shelter and left a $1 million check. Then he stopped at a soup kitchen and handed over another $1 million check.
Finally, he dropped off $500,000 at the clinic that had found his malignancy. Since then Huntsman, who says he plans to give it all away before he dies, has donated the majority of his fortune to his cancer foundation
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