Pat Stryker

Pat Stryker
Born 1956/1957 (age 59–60)[1]
Net worth IncreaseUS $ 1.5 billion (est.) (2010)[1]

Patricia A. Stryker[2] (born 1956) is a businessperson, philanthropist, and political activist.

Stryker is the granddaughter of Homer Stryker, surgeon and founder of Stryker Corporation, a medical technology company.

Since the early 2000s, she has become more active in civic life. In 2001, she founded the Bohemian Foundation, which focuses on music, arts and the community through grantmaking, programs, and events. She donated $3 million to defeat a 2002 ballot initiative regarding bilingual education in Colorado. In 2004, she gave $20 million to Colorado State University, mostly to benefit its football team.

Stryker bought Sonoma's Sommer Vineyards in 1999, which she rebuilt, replanted, and rechristened as Stryker Sonoma.[3] It covers 32 acres (129,000 m²) in Alexander Valley, California, producer of classic vinifera varieties Bordeaux and Zinfandel. In May 2016, she sold the winery to focus on her foundation work.[4]

Bohemian Foundation

Stryker has funded the Bohemian Foundation[5] which, in addition to national and international programs, funds music and other initiatives in Larimer County, Colorado, the Fort Collins, Colorado area.[6] She has also donated a substantial amount to Colorado State University which is located in Fort Collins.[5]

Political donations

In 2006, Stryker gave $500,000 to the Coalition for Progress, a political action committee that donated heavily to support Democratic party candidates in Michigan elections.[7]

In 2008, Stryker gave $87,500 to the Presidential Inaugural Committee for President-Elect Barack Obama.[8]

Stryker donated $3 million to defeat a 2002 ballot initiative regarding bilingual education in Colorado.[5]

Stryker has donated US$1.5 million to Priorities USA Action, a Super PAC supporting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.[9]

Political allies

Stryker, Jared Polis, Tim Gill, and Rutt Bridges are known in Colorado political circles as "The Four Horsemen" (aka "Gang of Four" or "The Four Millionaires") who have donated to liberal causes, fought against gerrymandering, and were instrumental in taking back Colorado politics from social conservatives. [5][10][11] Significant political contributions from the four to favored Democratic candidates has played a role in electing a Democratic majority in Colorado's house and senate.[12][13] Stryker has been frequently represented at political meetings by Al Yates, former president of Colorado State University.[5]

Democracy Alliance

According to New York Times reporter Matt Bai, Stryker attended the April 2005 meeting of the Democracy Alliance near Scottsdale, Arizona.

References

  1. 1 2 "The World's Billionaires: #655 Pat Stryker". Forbes. March 3, 2010.
  2. ↑ SEC regarding Stryker Corp.
  3. ↑ Stryker Sonoma
  4. ↑ http://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/business/2016/05/03/pat-stryker-sells-sonoma-winery/83870090/
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Stuart Steers (May 2005). "The Gang of Four". 5280 The Denver Magazine. In 2002 an initiative placed on the ballot by a group called English for the Children would have eliminated most bilingual programs in Colorado. Fearing the law would destroy her daughter's school, Stryker donated $3 million to the successful campaign to defeat the initiative. Her donation was widely credited with turning voters against it.
  6. ↑ "The Bohemian Foundation". bohemianfoundation.org. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ Jon Stryker Strikes Again
  8. ↑ Presidential Inaugural Committee | Inaugural Committee Bundlers
  9. ↑ "The Top Donors Backing Hillary Clinton's Super PAC". Forbes. May 27, 2016.
  10. ↑ Healy, Rita (4 April 2007). "The Gay Mogul Changing U.S. Politics". TIME. Retrieved 8 March 2013. An hour south of Laramie, in Ft. Collins, lives medical equipment heiress Pat Stryker, who is, along with Gill, known in local political circles as one of 'The Four Millionaires.' (Actually Stryker is a billionaire; her brother Jon is gay and both give generously to gay causes.)
  11. ↑ "NYT Reporter Glosses Over Efforts by Big Liberal Donors". Washington Free Beacon. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2013. Jon Stryker, the brother of Gill’s friend and Colorado Democracy Alliance cofounder Pat Stryker, contributed at least $2 million to Obama’s super PAC Priorities USA. Stryker and Gill are half of the 'Gang of Four' in Colorado politics, along with Jared Polis and Rutt Bridges.
  12. ↑ "Denver Best Behind-the-Scenes Political Power Brokers - Jared Polis, Tim Gill, Rutt Bridges and Pat Stryker". Best Of Denver. Westword. 24 March 2005. Retrieved 8 March 2013. While Republicans made gains in most states across the country (especially the red ones), Democrats achieved majorities in both houses of the Colorado Legislature for the first time in forty years. It wouldn't have added up that way without this fearsome foursome.
  13. ↑ "Democrats' Colorado Gold Rush Turns Into a Bust". RealClearPolitics. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2013. In this decade, a group of liberal multimillionaires -- Tim Gill, Rutt Bridges, Jared Polis and Pat Stryker -- developed "the Colorado model," not only funding candidates, but setting up think tanks, advocacy groups and public relations operations designed to oust Republicans and install Democrats.
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