Warren Alpert Foundation ‘19
represented bY:
August Schiesser, Executive Director
Award Profile
Courageous Thinking and Action
Warren Alpert, the founder of the Warren Alpert Foundation, was born in a poor section of Chelsea, Massachusetts. His parents were Lithuanian immigrants who migrated to Boston in 1904. Mr. Alpert graduated from Boston University in 1942, with a Bachelor of Science degree. He served in the military in World War II. He was wounded on D-Day on Omaha Beach and received the Purple Heart. In 1947, with the help of the “GI” Bill, he graduated from Harvard Business School and was employed by Standard Oil of California. In 1950, he took a life-changing, courageous step and with $1,000 and a used car, started his own business. At the time of its sale in 2015, Rhode Island based Warren Equities Inc., a marketer of petroleum and convenience store products, employed 1,600 people with annual gross sales of $2,000,000,000. The proceeds of the sale fund the operations of the Warren Alpert Foundation and allow its directors to continue the philanthropic work started by Mr. Alpert.
Vision and Innovation
Mr. Alpert stated that everyone has their own reason for philanthropy. In his case it was his mother being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s prior to her passing. In 1987, one year after forming the Warren Alpert Foundation, Mr. Alpert established the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize. The $500,000 prize is intended to reward scientists for breakthroughs in the development of treatments and cures for major diseases. To date, over 60 scientists and physicians have received the award, and of those, 10 have subsequently received the Nobel Prize.
Inspiring Leadership
The Warren Alpert Foundation is a leader in supporting medical education and research. Since its inception in 1986, it has committed over $200,000,000 to its core mission of promoting medical science through research and education, particularly in areas which offer promise of, or which have achieved, significant medical breakthroughs in the prevention, treatment or cure of human conditions, diseases, disorders, infirmities and illness. To achieve its mission, the foundation has aligned itself with such first class teaching and medical institutions as Harvard Medical School, Brown University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Community Mindedness
In 2007, coinciding with the unfortunate passing of Mr. Alpert, the foundation seized upon what it viewed as a unique opportunity to not only support medical education but make a major impact in the community where Warren Equities was founded. The $100,000,000 gift to Brown University was transformational with far reaching impacts. Since the completion of its construction in the Jewelry District in 2011, The Warren Alpert Medical School has been a magnet for medical and biological infrastructure. The recently completed South Street Power Station project houses Brown University Administrative offices, and a joint Rhode Island College, and University of Rhode Island nursing education center, with graduate student housing. Presently under construction, the Wexford Science and Technology Project will be anchored by The Cambridge Innovation Center and Brown Universities School of Professional Studies. Ancillary hotels, retail, residential and student housing is being built to support the areas growth.
In addition to its investment in medical education, the foundation continues to honor its founder’s wishes of supporting young students to afford them the opportunity of becoming self-sustaining contributors to society. To that end, the foundation is proud to support innovative schools and programs such as Community Preparatory, UCAP, Jewish Community Day School, Read to Succeed and Junior Achievement.
JA Mission Moment
The Warren Alpert Foundation is proud to support the JA Inspire program. For the past two years, I have attended the event at the R.I Convention Center and have to commend Junior Achievement, the R.I. Governors Workforce Board, Prepare R.I., its exhibitors and sponsors. There is a sense of excitement in the air when the students enter the room. The exhibitors go above and beyond to be as creative as possible to attract the students’ attention. In my opinion, this is truly a life changing event that will positively impact the lives of thousands of students as they consider their career paths. One of the greatest challenges facing all foundations is where to direct its grant dollars to make the greatest impact. The JA Inspire program is a no brainer. Today more than ever, in the age of smart phones, social media and everyday life, our youth is presented with too many distractions. The JA Inspire program provides a day to focus on one of life’s most important questions, ”What do I want to be when I grow up?” I personally feel a sense of gratification to be able to make an impact on so many lives and hopefully assist in answering that question.