The A List Series: A Conversation with Philanthropist Warren Hellman February 23, 2011

Who is F. Warren Hellman? Most know him as the shy philanthropist whose annual Valentine to the Bay Area is the always fabulous - and always free - Hardly, Strictly Bluegrass festival. But few people know about his extraordinary history, or his other philanthropic work in the arts and journalism. Nor do they realize he plays a mean banjo himself.

F. Warren Hellman is the founder of Hellman & Friedman LLC, a leading private equity investment firm with offices in San Francisco, New York and London. Since its founding in 1984, Hellman & Friedman has raised over $25 billion of committed capital. Hellman’s civic and philanthropic activities have included The San Francisco Foundation, the Walter A. Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, the UC Berkeley Foundation, The Brookings Institution, the Jewish Community Federation, the Jewish Community Endowment Fund, the S.F. Chamber of Commerce and Bay Area Council, and Voice of Dance. He recently became Chairman of the Board of the new Bay Citizen, an emerging player in the field of new journalism. In 2005, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Hellman twice completed the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile foot race from Squaw Valley to Auburn, and five times completed the Tevis Cup, a 100-mile horse race over the same course. He is also a five-time age group National Champion in Ride and Tie (combination of cross-country running and endurance horseback riding). He is also a 5-string banjo player and has an old-time band called The Wronglers with whom he performs all over the country. And of course, he is the founder and principal sponsor of the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.

The A List Series presents conversations with Authors, Artists, Athletes, Adventurers, Academics and Anarchists.

Official Website: http://www.142throckmortontheatre.org