HERE IS OUR 2015 HAUTE LIST OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA’S MOST A-LIST BILLIONAIRES, PHILANTHROPISTS, POWER COUPLES, ENTREPRENEURS, ATHLETES AND, OF COURSE, TECH TITANS. THIS IS THE HOME OF SILICON VALLEY, AFTER ALL…
MARC ANDREESSEN AND BEN HOROWITZ
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz are the co-founders of the $4 billion venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. A few of the firm’s notable investments include Airbnb, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Skype. Before founding Andreessen Horowitz, they were known as “Super Angels” who—together and separately—invested approximately $4 million in 45 tech startups.
JOHN ARRILLAGA
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: PEERY-ARRILLAGA
INDUSTRY: REAL ESTATE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
John Arrillaga, a Silicon Valley real estate mogul—and his partner, Richard Peery—first turned farmland into office spaces in the 1960s. Over the years, his developments have housed high-powered tenants like Google, Apple and Intel. Arrillaga is one of Stanford University’s biggest donors, gifting his alma mater $151 million—the largest single donation the institution has ever received from an individual—in 2013. His family name graces many of Stanford’s campus buildings and he has played a key role in the development of many university projects.
LAURA ARRILLAGA-ANDREESSEN
CATEGORY: PHILANTHROPISTS
COMPANY: LAURA ARRILLAGA-ANDREESSEN FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: TECH/EDUCATION
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen advises Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and other technology entrepreneurs about how to give back. The New York Times bestselling author of Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World created—and has taught—Stanford Graduate School of Business’ first course on strategic philanthropy since 2000 and developed Stanford University’s first courses on philanthropy and social innovation, which she teaches. Her eponymous foundation is a philanthropy education organization whose founding initiatives include ProjectU, Giving 2.0 Chapter Network and a free Stanford University MOOC (massive open online course) to teach givers how to give more effectively.
KATHERINE AUGUST-DEWILDE
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: FIRST REPUBLIC BANK
INDUSTRY: BANKING
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Katherine August-deWilde, a multi-tasking mother of four, is president and a board member of First Republic Bank, a San Francisco-based commercial bank and private wealth management firm. August-deWilde is a member of the board of directors for TriNet Group, Inc., and Equilar, Inc., a trustee of the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, a member of the Advisory Council of the Stanford Center on Longevity and a member of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Advisory Council.
COLIN B. BAILEY
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
It didn’t take long for Colin B. Bailey to make his mark after arriving in San Francisco in 2013 as director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, where he oversees the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor. He’s revamped the exhibition program, helped build collections and had the artwork database on the museum’s website redesigned. This year, “High Style: The Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection” makes its exclusive west coast appearance. At the de Young, “Botticelli to Braque: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland” will showcase some works that have never before been seen in the United States. As an author, Bailey won a prestigious Mitchell Prize for his book Patriotic Taste: Collecting Modern Art in Pre-Revolutionary Paris.
ROGER AND SLOAN BARNETT
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: SHAKLEE CORPORATION
INDUSTRY: NUTRITION / ENVIRONMENT
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Roger and Sloan Barnett were once prominent figures on the young New York social scene; now, this environmentally-conscious couple plays a similar role in San Francisco. In 2004, Roger, a former Wall Street financier, paid $310 million for Shaklee Corporation. He’s the chairman and CEO of the multi-level marketing company known for its natural nutrition and green cleaning products which dates back to 1956 and boasts more than 1.2 million members and distributors in six countries. Sloan is a former New York County district attorney, journalist, author of the New York Times bestseller Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet and member of New York University School of Law’s board of trustees. Together they make the rounds at fashion, charity and arts events and host some as well.
STEPHEN CURRY
CATEGORY: ATHLETES
COMPANY: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
INDUSTRY: SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
With Stephen Curry—arguably the best point guard in the NBA—running the show, the Golden State Warriors began the 2014-15 season with their best start in the franchise’s history and put together a franchise-best 16-game winning streak. Last season, the five-year veteran and All-Star was voted the NBA’s Community Player of the Year for his numerous charitable contributions in the Bay Area and across the globe. Since 2010, he’s served as the national spokesperson for ThanksUSA and since 2011, has hosted an annual golf tournament in San Francisco in support of the organization that provides scholarships to children and spouses of active U.S. military personnel. He also purchases 25 tickets to every home game to donate to various children’s groups.
OLIVIA HSU DECKER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: DECKER BULLOCK SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
INDUSTRY: REAL ESTATE
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Powerhouse realtor Olivia Hsu Decker is a household name in luxury real estate. Born in Shanghai, Decker moved to Belvedere in 1976 and specializes in the sales of the finest homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her company’s 2014 sales exceeded $1.4 billion. Decker’s clients include tech titans and other boldface names who are Bay Area industry leaders, many of whom are featured on our Haute 100 list. In addition to supporting various nonprofits, she donates a 20 percent referral fee to the charity of choice for the person making the referral.
JOHN DOERR
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: KLEINER PERKINS CAUFIELD & BYERS
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Since joining Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 1980, John Doerr has always had his eyes set on the newest trends in tech, backing such entrepreneurs as Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt of Google; Jeff Bezos of Amazon; and Scott Cook and Bill Campbell of Intuit. His most recent venture is a $15.5 million investment in BetterWorks, a start-up that is releasing a product that turns Google’s famous employee review system (which Doerr himself initially brought to Google) into an app that any company can use to set employee goals and measure feedback. Outside of KPCB, Doerr supports environmentally-focused entrepreneurs, public education and global poverty and serves on the boards of Amyris, Google and Zynga.
JACK DORSEY|
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: SQUARE AND TWITTER
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Although Jack Dorsey created and co-founded Twitter in 2006, has served as CEO and chairman of the company’s board and is now its executive chairman, the billionaire’s current focus is Square, the mobile payment system he co-founded. Square continues to expand its programs. In November, Dorsey introduced Square Register to the world; the app is now available worldwide in four languages, and supports 130 internationally-recognized currencies. There’s also Square Cash, which lets you send and receive money; Square Order, a new way to pre-order food and drinks for pickup; and Square Capital, a service that provides small business financing to merchants who use Dorsey’s system. Dorsey also sits on the board at The Walt Disney Company.
TIMOTHY DRAPER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: DRAPER FISHER JURVETSON
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Timothy C. Draper is founding partner of leading venture capital firms Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Draper Associates, where he is also managing partner. Together, his companies have invested in companies such as Tesla, Skype, Twitter, Paperless Post, Indiegogo, Yammer and Box. Draper is also arguably the creator of “viral marketing” in web-based e-mail, a tool used to spread an Internet product to its market. In an effort to further encourage entrepreneurship, he started BizWorld.org, a nonprofit created to educate children on entrepreneurship, and Draper University of Heroes, a school for entrepreneurs ages 18 to 28 that is also the site of a reality show about a school for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs that will air later this year. Draper will have a regular role.
CLINT EASTWOOD
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: MALPASO PRODUCTIONS / TEHAMA GOLF CLUB
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT / PRIVATE GOLF CLUBS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
San Francisco native Clint Eastwood is firmly established as a film icon. While he is best known for his presence on the silver screen, Eastwood has also been running his own production company, Malpaso Productions, since 1967. The former mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea also owns the invitation-only Tehama Golf Club in Carmel; is an investor in the Pebble Beach Golf Links; and is chairman of the board of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which stages the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach as well as disperses the proceeds from these two tournaments to charity.
DANIEL EK
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: SPOTIFY
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Serial entrepreneur and technologist Daniel Ek started his first company in 1997 at the age of 14. In 2006, he teamed up with Martin Lorentzon to launch Spotify, an award-winning digital music service that gives you on-demand access to over 30 million tracks. His alliances with power players like Sean Parker helped facilitate the company’s U.S. debut and its vital integration with Facebook. Now in 58 markets globally with more than 50 million active users and over 12.5 million paying subscribers, Ek’s company is partnering with enterprises like Uber. How fitting that Spotify has two floors of office space above the famed Warfield theater.
LARRY ELLISON
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: ORACLE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
When Oracle founder Larry Ellison stepped down as CEO last September, it ended one of the most entertaining and profitable runs for a leader in business history. He remains executive chairman of the board and took on the role of chief technology officer for the billion-dollar Silicon Valley giant. Ellison is one of the richest people in the world and is well-known for his flamboyant personality, entertaining a wide range of interests outside of the boardroom; he flies planes, plays guitar, races sailboats and owns 97 percent of the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
ARCHIE ALDIS “RED” EMMERSON
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRY: LUMBER
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Archie Aldis “Red” Emmerson might be of the most dressed-down billionaires on our list, but he is in the business of growing and cutting down trees. Emmerson began his lumber products company with his father, R.H. “Curly” Emmerson, in 1949. The Anderson, Calif.-based firm owns and manages nearly 1.9 million acres of timberland in California and Washington and is the second largest lumber producer in the United States.
DIANNE FEINSTEIN AND RICHARD BLUM
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: U.S. SENATE / BLUM CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P.
INDUSTRY: GOVERNMENT / BANKING
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
She’s the senator from California; he’s the investment banker worth millions. Dianne Feinstein, whose current term expires in 2018, has been in the United States Senate since 1992 and served as mayor of San Francisco for 10 years. Richard Blum founded Blum Capital in 1975, a highly successful equity investment management firm of which he is still the chairman. He’s also co-chairman of Newbridge Capital, LLC. Blum was reappointed to a 12-year term on the University of California Board of Regents by Governor Brown in 2014.
DAVID FILO
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: YAHOO!
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
David Filo co-founded Yahoo! with Jerry Yang in 1994 after dropping out of Stanford’s computer science Ph.D. program, picking up his official title of “chief Yahoo.” Known for his low-key nature, he continues to work at Yahoo!, where he runs the technical operations and reports directly to CEO Marissa Mayer. He rejoined the board last summer after an 18-year hiatus. He is currently the largest shareholder in the company, with an approximate 7% stake.
GORDON AND ANN GETTY
CATEGORY: POWER COUPLES
COMPANY: ANN & GORDON GETTY FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL / ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
Gordon Getty is the son of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. The classical music composer is one of the nation’s leading venture capitalists and philanthropists. He is known to have an eye for sound investments, of which include the wineries, resorts, spas and boutiques of the PlumpJack Group. He and his wife Ann run The Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation, one of the top ten foundations that award arts grants in California. The nonprofit makes generous donations to music programs, including the League of American Orchestras.
DAVID GOCKLEY
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
David Gockley is considered to be one of the major innovators in American opera. He has been committed to broadening and diversifying opera audiences since becoming general director of the San Francisco Opera in 2006. In his first months as general director, he took opera to the center of the community with a free outdoor simulcast, the first in the company’s history. Last year, he announced that he’ll retire in July 2016, capping an internationally-acclaimed and award-winning career spanning 44 years as one of America’s most prominent opera impresarios.
JOHN GUNN
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: DODGE & COX FUNDS / SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT / ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
John Gunn commands the best of both worlds. The Stanford graduate sits on various committees at Dodge & Cox Funds, one of the country’s most successful professional management firms. He joined the company in 1972 and later became chairman. He has also been a subscriber of the San Francisco Opera since 1988 and is now chairman of its board of directors.
BILL HARLAN
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: HARLAN ESTATE / BOND ESTATES / MEADOWOOD / NAPA VALLEY RESERVE
INDUSTRY: HOSPITALITY / FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Bill Harlan is a former real estate developer who arrived in Napa Valley in search of land to create world-class wine. He succeeded, establishing Harlan Estate in 1984 and BOND Estates in 1996. He is also the managing partner of Meadowood, a Relais & Chateaux resort with a three-star Michelin restaurant, and The Napa Valley Reserve, a members-only winegrowing estate. The first vintage of Promontory, his new wine, debuted in the fall.
NOOSHEEN HASHEMI AND FARZAD NAZEM
CATEGORY: PHILANTHROPISTS
COMPANY: THE HAND FOUNDATION
INDUSTRY: PHILANTHROPY
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE:
This haute power couple is Silicon Valley royalty. As Yahoo!’s chief technology officer for 11 years, Farzad Nazem is credited with pioneering the massively scalable and cost effective web operations that allowed 600 million users to make Yahoo! their reliable online home. Noosheen Hashemi ran finance and administration—including all sales infrastructure—for Oracle’s U.S. division and shepherded the company’s meteoric growth of doubling revenues annually. Together they manage their family office and co-founded The HAND Foundation—she’s president and he’s the company secretary—which aims to prevent child sexual abuse, strengthen the global middle class and advance the philanthropic sector. Each is a sought-after angel investor who gives back by advising enterprising founders and social entrepreneurs.
REED HASTINGS
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: NETFLIX
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Reed Hastings is responsible for revolutionizing the way movies are viewed. The co-founder and CEO of Netflix, which he resurrected with original series such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black,” was formerly on the board of directors at Microsoft and now serves on the board at Facebook. He’s an active educational philanthropist and sits on the board of several educational organizations, including California Charter Schools Association, Dreambox Learning, KIPP and Pahara.
WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST III
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: HEARST CORPORATION
INDUSTRY: PUBLISHING
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
After graduating from Harvard, William Randolph Hearst III spent years as an employee of the Hearst Corporation, eventually becoming editor and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner. He left the company in 1976 and returned to succeed William Randolph Hearst Jr. as a trustee of the company. Today, he’s also president of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, director of The Hearst Foundation and a partner emeritus at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
REID HOFFMAN
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: GREYLOCK PARTNERS / LINKEDIN
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Reid Hoffman knows how to make a connection. In 2003 he co-founded LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking service, and later became one of Facebook’s angel investors. At LinkedIn, he led the company through its first four years of profitability as CEO and now serves as its executive chairman. In 2009 he joined Greylock, where he is now a partner. He continues to back Facebook, along with Airbnb and One Kings Lane.
SIR JONATHAN IVE
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: APPLE, INC.
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Sir Jonathan Ive, also known as the “King of Design,” has been responsible for leading a design team widely regarded as one of the world’s best. As Apple’s senior vice president of design, he’s the driving force behind the look and feel of Apple’s innovative products, which are used by millions of consumers worldwide and have transformed our visual world. Recognized with numerous design awards, Apple products are featured in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Pompidou in Paris. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Modern Art Council awarded Ive the 2014 Bay Area Treasure Award, its lifetime achievement honor.
LAURENE POWELL JOBS
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: EMERSON COLLECTIVE
INDUSTRY: EDUCATION
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of the late, great Steve Jobs—who also happens to be the richest woman in Silicon Valley—is one of the top donors for Ready for Hillary, a super PAC that has raised millions to support a Hillary Clinton presidential run. She keeps busy as the founder and chair of Emerson Collective, an organization that supports social entrepreneurs and organizations working in the areas of education, immigration reform and social justice. She also serves as president of the board of College Track, an after-school program she founded in 1997 to prepare underserved high school students for success in college, and sits on Stanford University’s board of trustees and on the board of Tom Steyer’s Next Generation..
GREGORY JOHNSON
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Gregory Johnson serves as the chairman of the board, CEO, president and a director of Franklin Resources, Inc., the global investment management organization also known as Franklin Templeton Investments that boasts more than $900 billion in assets under management. He succeeded his father, Charles Johnson, who retired as chairman of the board in 2013. Johnson joined Franklin in 1986 after working as a senior accountant for Coopers & Lybrand. He is a current board member of Jumpstart, Menlo School and the San Francisco Symphony.
RUPERT JOHNSON JR.
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC.
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Rupert Johnson joined Franklin Resources, Inc. in 1965 and is vice-chairman and a director at the behemoth global investment management company run by his nephew, Gregory. He is best known for acquisitions like Fiduciary Trust and Templeton Funds. His Rupert H. Johnson Foundation regularly donates to educational programs and academic institutions within the U.S.
PAMELA JOYNER
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: AVID PARTNERS
INDUSTRY: INVESTMENT ADVISORY
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Pamela Joyner put her hard-earned degrees from Dartmouth and Harvard to good use with a nearly 30-year-career as a money manager and founding partner at Avid Partners, a strategic marketing consulting firm focused on advising managers in the alternative investment industry. Joyner isn’t just about business, however. A patron of the arts, she’s known for hosting lavish events and fundraisers at her Presidio Terrace estate, which is filled with paintings by artists of the global African Diaspora. She’s a director at First Republic Bank and the California Healthcare Foundation as well as a trustee at the Art Institute of Chicago and the New York City Ballet.
TRAVIS KALANICK
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
INDUSTRY: TRANSPORTATION
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Uber is now a verb thanks to Travis Kalanick, the CEO and co-founder of Uber Technologies, Inc., who brought on-demand, black-car service to virtually everyone. He’s guided the company from a niche market in San Francisco to its global presence today. Uber is six times bigger than it was a year ago and is now in 53 countries. In December, it raised another $1.2 billion in funding at a $41.2 billion valuation. Kalanick actively invests in startups and advises other passionate startup entrepreneurs.
COLIN KAEPERNICK
CATEGORY: ATHLETES
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
INDUSTRY: SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Colin Kaepernick, the star quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers—who is as well known for his exhilarating play on the field as he is his tattoos—signed a six-year, $126 million contract extension last June, meaning his fans may be “Kaepernicking” through 2020. In 2013 he led the 49ers to its first Super Bowl since 1994, when the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens by three points. Since joining the NFL in 2011, he’s supported Camp Taylor by hosting golf tournaments and bringing awareness to the charity that offers several programs for young people and families of children with heart disease.
ARTURO KELLER
CATEGORY: INNOVATORS
COMPANY: KELLER ESTATE WINERY
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Arturo Keller, a major automotive industrialist from Mexico City, fell in love with Sonoma in the 1980s. In 1984, he purchased a 300-acre ranch in Petaluma through his realtor, Olivia Hsu Decker, built his car museum—he has one of world’s finest vintage car collections—and created Keller Estate Winery and Vineyards, the first winery to establish itself in the Petaluma Valley and which produces artisanal, handcrafted pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and syrah.
THOMAS KELLER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: THOMAS KELLER RESTAURANT GROUP
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Thomas Keller is the undisputed king of the culinary world, renowned for elevating the standards of refinement in the food industry. His restaurants Per Se and The French Laundry have each earned three Michelin stars, making him the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple Michelin three-star ratings simultaneously. The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group includes restaurants in California, New York and Las Vegas, but it is Yountville where he rules with Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bistro, Bouchon Bakery, The French Laundry and his lifestyle store, Finesse.
VINOD KHOSLA
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: KHOSLA VENTURES
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Vinod Khosla, Silicon Valley’s preeminent eco-investor, has a passion for mentoring entrepreneurs and helping them to build green tech businesses. He is one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems, where he served as CEO and chairman in the 1980s. In 2004, he moved on to form his own firm, Khosla Ventures, where his primary investments are clean technology companies. Inside his portfolio is Soraa, whose co-founder Shuji Nakamura won the Nobel Prize in physics last October.
MICHAEL KIM
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENEURS
COMPANY: CENDANA CAPITAL
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Michael Kim is founder and managing partner of Cendana Capital, a “fund of funds” focused on backing seed-stage venture capital funds that place their money into young startups. He’s invested in seed VC funds such as Accelerator Ventures, Bowery, Forerunner Ventures and Founder Collective, a seed investor in Uber. Before starting Cendana, Kim was an original partner at Rustic Canyon Partners. He currently serves as a member of various advisory boards, including Founder Collective and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown. Last year, he and his wife Letitia chaired the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show and Holiday Heroes.
OMID KORDESTANI
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: GOOGLE/VODAFONE
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Omid Kordestani, Google’s “business founder” and employee number 11, led Google’s business operations from the first sales and first dollar in revenue to over $20 billion in revenues. After holding executive positions at Google for 10 years, he became a special advisor to CEO Larry Page. Now the popular Kordestani is back as chief business officer while continuing to maintain his special advisor title. He recently joined the board of Spotify. Kordestani supports various philanthropic interests, including Iranian-American causes, education and medicine.
CHRISTOPHER KOSTOW
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: THE RESTAURANT AT MEADOWOOD
INDUSTRY: FOOD & WINE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Few chefs have earned a Michelin star before their 30th birthday, but Christopher Kostow is special. He is the executive chef of The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa, and has earned not one but three stars for his exquisite, transcendent cuisine from 2011 to 2015. Kostow is the third-youngest chef to ever receive three Michelin stars. His first cookbook, A New Napa Cuisine, was released last fall. In addition, he curates the seasonal cuisine at the new American Express Centurion Lounge inside San Francisco International Airport.
JOSEPH LACOB
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: KLEINER PERKINS CAUFIELD & BYERS / GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL / SPORTS
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Joe Lacob, a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, has made successful investments across multiple disciplines, which in 2011 allowed him to achieve a lifelong dream: to become an NBA owner. He’s now the co-executive chairman, CEO and governor of the Golden State Warriors, which enjoyed their best start in franchise history this season. He is actively involved at Stanford University, where he serves on advisory boards at the Medical Center, business school and athletic department.
MAYOR EDWIN LEE
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
INDUSTRY: CIVIL SERVICE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
After filling in as interim mayor for former Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2011, Edwin Lee became the first Asian-American and 43rd mayor of San Francisco. He has championed balancing the budget to keep San Francisco safe, solvent and successful, reforming city pensions, economic development and job creation. In last November’s elections, he successfully campaigned five ballot measures ranging from a $500 million transportation bond to raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Though his four-year stint expires this year, he’s already announced that he’ll seek another term.
DR. ARTHUR LEVINSON
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: CALICO
INDUSTRY: BIOTECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Dr. Arthur Levinson is a rock star of the biotech world. He served as CEO of powerhouse Genentech from 1995 to 2009 and is now the co-founder and CEO of Calico, a Google-backed company focused on health, aging and well-being. In addition, he’s the chairman of Apple’s board.
JOE LONSDALE
CATEGORY: ENTREPRENUERS
COMPANY: FORMATION 8
INDUSTRY: VENTURE CAPITAL
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Joe Lonsdale is founding member and partner at Formation 8, a fund that invests in Silicon Valley’s top entrepreneurs and connects them with Asian conglomerates. He previously co-founded Palantir Technologies, a multi-billion dollar software company that develops mission-critical analysis systems used by government and financial organizations around the world. He currently serves as chairman of the board of Addepar, a leading wealth management technology platform he founded, and OpenGov. He also sits on the boards of Oscar, Radius and Wish.
GEORGE LUCAS
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: LUCASFILM
INDUSTRY: ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
George Lucas formed his film company, Lucasfilm Ltd., in 1971 and the rest is history. The film producer, screenwriter and director went on to create the epic Star Wars saga and the Indiana Jones series, among many other successful films. The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. In 1991, the visionary founded the George Lucas Educational Foundation, which encourages innovation in K-12 schools by documenting and sharing strategies that promote lifelong learning and prepares students to thrive in their adult lives. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is currently under construction in Chicago.
NICOLA LUISOTTI
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
INDUSTRY: ARTS & CULTURE
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Italian conductor Nicola Luisotti has been music director of the San Francisco Opera since September of 2009. Since making his debut, he now conducts at nearly every major opera company in the world, from La Scala in Milan to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He has also led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in performances presented by Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley.
JACK MA
CATEGORY: BILLIONAIRES
COMPANY: ALIBABA GROUP
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Jack Ma, the wealthiest man in China, saw his net worth soar to $22.8 billion from $7.1 billion after the $25 billion, record-breaking IPO of his e-commerce powerhouse, Alibaba Group, on the New York Stock Exchange last fall. Ma, the executive chairman who founded the company in 1999, is now a global leader. Alibaba, which has invested in various San Francisco and Menlo Park-based startups, including the rideshare company Lyft, mobile game maker Kabam, and the message app TangoMe, opened its San Francisco office on the top floor of the iconic PacBell building last August.
MARISSA MAYER
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: YAHOO
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE:
Marissa Mayer made headlines when she was named Yahoo! CEO, president and director in July 2012. She breathed new life into the tech giant by releasing new products, acquiring burgeoning start-ups and updating its old look, ultimately raising the stock by 60 percent in one year. Prior to Yahoo!, she was the first female engineer at Google, where she spent 13 years in various positions. The Stanford grad is also a mother, wife and socialite and serves on the board of directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Ballet.
KEN MCNEELY
CATEGORY: COMMANDERS
COMPANY: AT&T CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY: TECH
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE:
Ken McNeely is president of AT&T California, where he leads a workforce of more than 36,000 employees. He oversees AT&T’s philanthropic, policy and social engagement efforts in California. His employees and retirees gave more than 3.6 million hours of personal time to community outreach activities between 2009 and 2013—services worth more than $79 million. McNeely, who set up a family foundation to provide scholarships in his kids’ names to underprivileged youth in the city, is fo