in the nation’s capital by expanding
their opportunities for education and
proper health care. His annual “Fight
Night” benefi t is an extravaganza few
major business players want to miss.
$300 MILLION TO
$500 MILLION
SONNY ABRAMSON JR.
TowerCos of North Bethesda went
green in 1997; wanting to be ahead of
the curve, Sonny Abramson’s 50-plusyear-
old company used eco-friendly
technology in one of their biggest
projects, the Tower Building off I-270.
The Abramsons are so invested in green
– and we’re not talking about their
signifi cant monetary assets – that they
created a program to educate residents
on environmentally friendly building.
They give back in other ways, too. A
longtime supporter of his alma mater,
Sonny Abramson created a fellowship
in his name at Brandeis University and
established the Abramson Chair of
Holocaust Studies there as well.
STEWART BAINUM JR.
One would imagine that Stewart
Bainum Jr.’s dinner parties are
spectacular – after all, this millionaire
makes his living being hospitable.
Bainum is the chairman and director
of Choice Hotels International, a
worldwide lodging franchiser with
Cambria SuitesTM, Comfort Inn,
Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn,
Clarion, MainStay Suites, Suburban
Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge,
and Rodeway Inn brand hotels under
its control. Bainum began his career
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as CEO of ManorCare, Inc. – a senior
living company – in 1987 before
going on to expand his repertoire
to serving guests of all ages. In 2004,
Choice Hotels reported earnings
of $386 million, with the Bainums
holding just under 40 percent of the
stock. There’s no place like home away
from home, it seems.
PETER BARRIS
Barris’ daughters fondly recall
their Chicago upbringing in a closeknit
Greek family not unlike that in
My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The sequel,
My Big Fat Greek Bank Account,
would come later. Barris began his
career at General Electric and hasn’t
taken a break since. He’s legendary
for being the “honest” voice of
venture capital fi rm NEA, where he’s
managing general partner and known
as the outspoken member of board
who asks the tough questions. NEA
managed about $5 billion in capital
in 2002, with half a billion invested
locally in the Washington, D.C./
Baltimore area. The list of boards with
a seat marked “Peter Barris” is vast
– Boingo Wireless, Inc., Broadview
Networks, Cidera, DataCore
Software, eCommerce Industries,
Eziba, Laurel Networks, Mainstream
Data, and Megisto Systems, to name
a few – as his talent for fi nessing
technology ventures is well known.
The Barris family gives generously
and “reactively,” in his own words, to
charity; “if something comes our way
that we relate to, we give,” he says.
Now that’s electric. |
DAVID BRADLEY
At 26, Bradley launched his
first venture, The Advisory Board
Company, a for-profit think tank
serving 4,000 corporations, fi nancial
institutions and medical centers
around the world. Shortly after he
took The Advisory Board and its sister
enterprise, the Corporate Executive
Board, public in 2001, Bradley sold
his interest, which pushed his net
worth well above $300 million. Today,
among other ventures, he publishes
The Atlantic Monthly, The National
Journal, and the recently launched
02138, a magazine for Harvard grads.
He and his wife, Katherine, founded
City Bridge Foundation, which funds
projects in the Philippines, Russia,
and South Africa and now focuses on
education and interventions to serve
families and children in Washington,
D.C. They are also founding investors
in Venture Philanthropy Partners.
HILDA OCHOA BRILLEMBOURG
Ladies are doing it for themselves,
and Ochoa-Brillembourg is doing it
quite well. “It” refers to being ship’s
captain of power-frigate investment
management fi rm Strategic Investment
Group and also director of Emerging
Markets Investment Corporation and
Emerging Markets Management,
LLC. Not too shabby. Finance and
internationalism are closely intertwined;
Ochoa-Brillembourg served many
years at the World Bank and was
treasurer of the C.A. Luz Electrica
de Venezuela in Caracas. She is active
with numerous nonprofi ts, including
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the Youth Orchestra of the Americas,
the Washington National Opera and
the National Symphony Orchestra.
A life fi lled with riches, music and
fi rst-class airfare? We could imagine
worse fates.
C. DANIEL CLEMENTE
Chairman of the board of
Clemente Development Co., he
started his own legal fi rm fresh out
of Georgetown Law School, then
got into commercial real estate
in Northern Virginia, developing
properties like Brighton Malls in
Falls Church. Clemente also advises
wealthy individuals and businesses,
famously rescuing Digital Commerce
Corp. from bankruptcy (and
remaining as its chief stockholder). He
is the founder of Community Bank
and Trust in Springfi eld and First
Commercial Bank of Arlington, and
a family trustee of the 137-year-old,
privately-held food giant Cargill. A
staunch Republican, Clemente aided
George Bush’s 2004 campaign and the
Federal Victory Fund in 2005.
ROSALIE COHEN, RICHARD
COHEN, RONALD COHEN AND
RANDI LYNN COHEN HARRIS
The Cohens should have their
own TLC special: “Renovating D.C.”
Instead of perky television makeovers
of clueless, suburban housewives, this
program would focus on the their
relentless redevelopment of area
landmarks and the resulting, ongoing
cash fl ow. Richard, who stepped into
father William Cohen’s shoes as head
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