February 15th, 2012
During the 4th Quarter of 2011, some 6,200 executives of US public companies sold an astounding $5.2 billion in stock, according to a recent Donor Watch report. The list of wealthy individuals includes many renowned philanthropists, such as Bill Gates and Sergey Brin, as well as many lesser known millionaires who are often more discreet about their wealth and their philanthropy efforts. Timing can be everything for non-profits seeking major gifts, so identifying prospects who have recently come across large amounts of cash can be critical to a gift officer's targeting efforts.

A newcomer to Donor Watch's list is Linkedin.com's Jeff Weiner. He took his company public in early 2011 and then rewarded himself last quarter by selling off some $25.7 million in stock. Weiner is a graduate of UPENN's Wharton School of Business and also serves as a Director of the non-profit Malaria No More.

Some of Weiner's top Linkedin lieutenants who have also recently sold millions include SVP of Sales Mike Gamson (BA from Amherst College), SVP of Operations David Henke (BA from University of California, Santa Barbara), General Counsel Erika Rottenberg (BS from SUNY College at Geneseo / JD from University of California, Berkley), among others. The success of Linkedin.com's IPO has definitely encouraged a fleet of other tech start-ups to take the IPO plunge, creating a steady stream of newly minted millionaires who are all now being tracked by Donor Watch.

One of the top cash-raisers on the list is the CEO of Cisco Systems John T. Chambers, who raised more than $13 million in cash during the quarter. Mr. Chambers, who also has an annual salary of $12.8 million, received both a BA and JD from West Virginia University. He also received a Masters of Business Administration degree from Indiana University.

Another notable CEO on the list is Stephen J. Hemsley, who runs UnitedHealth Group (UNH) in Minnesota. Hemsley raised nearly $32 million by selling UNH's stock over the quarter. He is a graduate of Fordham University and also serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of St. Thomas.

The schools with most alumni on the list include the University of Michigan, Syracuse University, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Cornell University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Texas, Georgetown University and University of Illinois. Some of the more notable smaller schools with impressive representation on the top prospect list include Lehigh University, Wayne State University, Washington and Lee University, Smith College, University of Scranton and Ball State University.

Donor Watch provides its powerful software platform and real-time analyses to the development offices and prospect research teams at leading colleges, universities and non-profits. Donor Watch's unique and robust set of research tools empower fund raisers and prospect researchers to manage their relationships with top and high potential donors. For more information about Donor Watch and its top donor prospect targeting reports, please visit Donor Watch's Website or sign-up for a free trial.