David Rockefeller Jr.
| David Rockefeller Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1941 (age 84–85) |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Harvard College and Harvard Law School |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 👴 👵 Parent(s) | David Rockefeller Margaret McGrath |
| 👪 Relatives | See Rockefeller family |
David Rockefeller Jr. (born 1941) is an American philanthropist and businessman known for his leadership of Rockefeller family foundations and his support for arts, education, and environmental causes. He has held many positions on Rockefeller family boards and nonprofit organizations, and has worked to advance conservation and sustainable development initiatives. After his fathers death, he was called the "new patriarch" of the Rockefeller family.[1]
Early life and education
David Rockefeller Jr. was born in 1941 to banker David Rockefeller Sr., making him a great-grandson of oil magnate John D. Rockefeller.[2] He was raised in the prominent Rockefeller family in New York. According to his own statements, he first learned that his family was wealthy from his classmates at school.[3] He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and went on to earn degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School.[2][4]
Career and functions
Rockefeller has served on the boards and in leadership roles of multiple Rockefeller family institutions. He was a trustee and chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation and president of the Rockefeller Family Fund, and he currently is a trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the David Rockefeller Fund. He also served twice as chairman of Rockefeller & Company (the family office, later Rockefeller Capital Management) and remains on its board of directors. Outside the family foundations, Rockefeller is active in other nonprofit and cultural organizations. He is a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art and the Asian Cultural Council and is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Rockefeller served as citizen chair of the National Parks Foundation from 1995 to 2005 and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[5][6]
Philanthropic and environmental work
Rockefeller’s philanthropy emphasizes conservation and sustainability. In 2004, he founded Sailors for the Sea, a nonprofit dedicated to ocean stewardship protecting marine ecosystems.[7][4] Sailors for the Sea created programs such as Clean Regattas and education campaigns to raise awareness of ocean health. In recognition of this work, he was honored as the 2013 “YachtWorld Hero” for mobilizing sailors in environmental advocacy.[8] In 2010, he had won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education.[4]
In 2018 Sailors for the Sea merged into the global conservation group Oceana, and Rockefeller joined Oceana’s board to help guide its ocean-protection campaigns. He also served on the Pew Oceans Commission in the early 2000s, which produced a major report on U.S. marine conservation.[4]
In addition to ocean work, Rockefeller has championed land and wildlife conservation. He led the U.S. National Parks Foundation as its citizen chair for ten years. In 2013, he and two sisters created the Peggy McGrath Rockefeller Foundation (known as Stone House Grain) to manage 2,000 acres of Hudson Valley farmland dedicated to regenerative agriculture and support for young farmers. He has also been involved in Alaskan conservation: he served as vice chair of the Alaska Conservation Foundation and helped establish the Alaska Fund for the Future, both aimed at preserving Alaskan wilderness and communities.[9]
He has also received honors for his and his families public service: for example, in 2019 he was presented with the inaugural Versailles Award for American Philanthropy at a World War I commemorative event, recognizing contributions of his family to international relief efforts.[10]
Personal life
David Rockefeller Jr. is married to Susan Cohn Rockefeller, an environmental filmmaker and writer. The couple lives in New York City and have four children, three daughters and a son. He is known to be an avid sailor and amateur singer, who has performed as a semi-professional chorister with the Boston Camerata.[4]
Politics
Rockefeller has financially supported the Democratic Party. He has donated to party organizations such as the DNC Services Corporation and the Democratic National Campaign Committee, as well as to politicians such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.[2]
References
- ↑ "David Rockefeller Jr: 'Does happiness come from material wealth?'". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "David Rockefeller, Jr". InfluenceWatch. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ Frank, Robert (2018-04-16). "How this Rockefeller heir found out he was rich". CNBC. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "David Rockefeller Jr. & Sailors for the Sea". National Maritime Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-08-28. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "David and Susan Rockefeller: Legacy, Lessons, and the Future of Philanthropy | Asia Society". asiasociety.org. 2022-05-23. Archived from the original on 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2025-08-28. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "David Rockefeller, Jr". NCFP. 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ International, Living on Earth / World Media Foundation / Public Radio. "Living on Earth: Using An Oil Legacy to Save the Oceans". Living on Earth. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ "DOMINION MARINE MEDIA NAMES DAVID ROCKEFELLER, JR. ITS 2013 YACHTWORLD HERO - YachtWorld". Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ "Susan and David Rockefeller Jr". We Are Family Foundation. Archived from the original on 2025-06-23. Retrieved 2025-08-28. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Presentation of the Versailles Award for American Philanthropy to Mrs. Catharine Hamilton". Palace of Versailles. 2023-10-19. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-08-28. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
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