PHILANTHROPY

Bernard Marcus

Chairman, Marcus Foundation

Bernard "Bernie" Marcus's story is also the story of the American dream. Born to Russian Jewish immigrant parents in 1947, Marcus grew up in a tenement building in Newark, NJ. After studying pharmacology at Rutgers University while working for his father's business, Marcus recognized his talents as a retailer. After launching the multi-billion dollar chain Home Depot in 1979, Marcus retired from business in 2000, and has since become one of the leading philanthropists in the US. A generous supporter of Jewish causes, he is a founder of the Israel Democracy Institute and the current chairman of the Marcus Foundation, which has provided more than $1 billion to a range of programs, from care for military veterans to educational programs for children with special needs. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons.)