Allen Greenberg is the long-time executive director and president of the Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation, the charitable foundation established and funded by billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Greenberg was a left-wing legal activist until his now-dissolved marriage to Buffett’s daughter Susie Buffett.

Under Greenberg’s leadership, the Foundation grew into the third largest grantmaking private foundation in America. Though the Foundation funds many causes, it is best known for championing population control and abortion; as of 2014, the Foundation has provided more than $1.2 billion to organization which perform and advocate for abortions. ¹

Background and Family

Greenberg was born in New York City in 1957. His father owned a newspaper-distribution company. Greenberg graduated from New York University Law School and began a career in liberal activist public-interest law. ² In 1983, Greenberg met and married Susan Alice “Susie” Buffet, the oldest daughter of billionaire investor Warren Buffet. Warren and his first wife, Susan Thompson Buffet, favored Greenberg, reportedly referring to him as, “Allen-the-perfect-son-in-law.” ³ Greenberg and Susan Alice met in Washington D.C., but moved to Omaha, Nebraska in the late 1980s. ⁴ They amicably divorced in 1995⁵ and have two children together. ⁶

Career

Early Career

Greenberg started his career in law at Public Citizen, a left-wing advocacy organization founded by Green Party Presidential candidate and long-time left-progressive activist Ralph Nader. After working at Public Citizen, Greenberg took a job as a legal aide to then-U.S. Rep. Charles Schumer (D-NY). ⁷ After marrying Susie Buffett, Greenberg introduced Schumer to his father-in-law, Warren Buffett. ⁸

Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation

Reportedly upon Warren Buffet asking his daughter about her husband’s dream job, Greenberg was offered the executive director position at what was then called the Buffet Foundation in 1987. ⁹ Going back to its founding in 1964, the Foundation had never had an executive director before Greenberg,¹⁰ and for many years, he was the sole employee of the organization. ¹¹

Even after Greenberg’s divorce from Susie Buffet in 1995, he has continued to lead the Foundation. ¹² The Buffet Foundation was renamed the Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation in 2004 in honor of Warren Buffet’s late wife. ¹³

Warren Buffet has long expressed a desire to pass the vast majority of his accumulated wealth to charity upon his death, rather than allowing his children to inherit his estate in full. ¹⁴ Thus, Greenberg is expected to inherit control over the bulk of Warren Buffet’s $80+ billion fortune via the Foundation. ¹⁵

According to colleagues and friends, Greenberg is a detail-oriented manager who personally oversees the Foundation’s outgoing grants. ¹⁶

Recognition

Inside Philanthropy, a left-of-center philanthropy news website, named Greenberg its “Foundation President of the Year” for 2019. The site noted Greenberg’s personal low profile, his efforts in making the Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation one of the biggest grantmakers in America, and his concerted efforts to block abortion restrictions across the US. ¹⁷

Political Donations

Greenberg has made numerous direct political contributions to Democratic candidates since 1997. They include:

• $2,000 to Nebraska Congressional candidate Kara Eastman in 2018
• $500 to Lincoln City Councilwoman Jane Raybould in 2018
• $1,500 to Nebraska Senator candidate Bob Kerrey in 2012
• $250 to Iowa Congressional candidate Christie Vilsak in 2011
• $1,000 to then-Presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008
• $500 to Nebraska Congressional candidate Scott Kleeb in 2008
• $300 to Nebraska State Senator Nancy Thompson in 2003, and then $1,300 in 2004
• $500 to Nebraska Congresswoman Shelly Kiel in 1999, and then $500 in 2000
• $250 to New York City Councilor Anthony Weiner in 1997¹⁸

1. “Warren Buffett: The Billion-Dollar King of Abortion.” Media Research Center. Accessed January 6, 2020. https://www.mrc.org/articles/warren-buffett-billion-dollar-king-abortion.
2. “The Art of Giving when Your Resources are Vast.” Bloomberg. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1999-10-24/the-art-of-giving-when-your-resources-are-vast.
3. “Buffet: The Making of an American Capitalist,” by Roger Lowenstein. Random House Publishing. Read January 5, 2020. https://books.google.com/books?id=MFkKf4zIqbkC&pg=PA336&lpg=PA336&dq=allen+greenberg+public+interest&source=bl&ots=7CQG-K9xcp&sig=ACfU3U3ntK779lEJBKDkWKoypML_IcewCQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwidpfP-xevmAhWCq54KHQUnDg4Q6AEwCnoECAwQAQ#v=onepage&q=allen%20greenberg%20public%20interest&f=false
4. “Buffet Children Emerge as a Force in Charity.” The New York Times. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/business/02buffettkids.html.
5. “Susan Alice Buffet.” Alchetron. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://alchetron.com/Susan-Alice-Buffett.
6. “Buffet Children Emerge as a Force in Charity.” The New York Times. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/business/02buffettkids.html.
7. “The Art of Giving when Your Resources are Vast.” Bloomberg. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1999-10-24/the-art-of-giving-when-your-resources-are-vast.
8. “Chuck Schumer wants you to leverage his connections.” Politico. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/02/chuck-schumer-wants-you-to-leverage-his-connections-030809.
9. “Buffet Children Emerge as a Force in Charity.” The New York Times. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/business/02buffettkids.html.
10. “The Art of Giving when Your Resources are Vast.” Bloomberg. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1999-10-24/the-art-of-giving-when-your-resources-are-vast.
11. “Who’s Who at the Secretive Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation?” InsidePhilanthropy.com. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2014/2/4/whos-who-at-the-secretive-susan-thompson-buffett-foundation.html.
12. “Return on Organization Exempt from Taxes (Form 990).” Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation. Accessed January 5, 2020. file:///C:/Users/Matt/Downloads/476032365_201812_990PF_2019080216539419.pdf.
13. “Who’s Who at the Secretive Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation?” InsidePhilanthropy.com. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2014/2/4/whos-who-at-the-secretive-susan-thompson-buffett-foundation.html.
14. “Billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have similar ideas about how much money you should leave your kids.” CNBC Make It. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/26/warren-buffett-bill-gates-have-similar-ideas-on-how-much-money-to-leave-kids.html.
15. “The Art of Giving when Your Resources are Vast.” Bloomberg. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1999-10-24/the-art-of-giving-when-your-resources-are-vast.
16. Ibid.
17. “Philanthropy Awards, 2019.” Inside Philanthropy. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2019/philanthropy-awards.
18. “Search Results: Allen Greenberg.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 5, 2020. https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=allen+greenberg&type=donors.