Pass It On Meet Phil and Nancy Anschutz, Winners of the 2009 William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership - Philanthropy Roundtable
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Pass It On
Meet Phil and Nancy Anschutz, Winners of the
2009 William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership
By Jonathan V. Last
Denver
I
T’S EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. THE SUN IS JUST things they think should be supported. I mean
starting to rise when Phil Anschutz steps into your list of things is probably different from
his office. The first thing you notice is his ours. There is no just one right way to do this.”
jacket. It’s eye-poppingly yellow, with silver “The core issue,” he says, “is that most peo-
reflective panels. ple have good intentions. But many people who
Anschutz has just run to work. He and his have good intentions fail to act. For a variety of
wife, Nancy, live a few miles from downtown reasons, they just never pull the trigger. So what
Denver. Anschutz often runs to work in the early good is accomplished if the help that you intend-
morning darkness. It makes sense. The 69-year- ed to provide, never occurs, never actually
old entrepreneur always seems to be in motion. touches anyone?”
That sense of perpetual motion is reflected For Phil and Nancy Anschutz, enterprise is
in Anschutz’s business interests, which range indispensible. They understand that all paths carry
from energy, transportation, and telecommuni- risk, that no outcomes are guaranteed. What mat-
cations to hospitality, entertainment, real estate, ters is action. Before you can accomplish anything,
and media. His philanthropic interests are you first have to get off the sidelines. “You make
equally diverse. Phil and Nancy Anschutz have mistakes,” says Mrs. Anschutz. “But you have
spent the last quarter century investing in a successes, too. And that is when you keep going.
broad variety of charitable giving. Their efforts
are principled but certainly not programmatic. Rig Fire
Their foundation grants include funding orches- THERE IS A FAMOUS STORY ABOUT PHIL ANSCHUTZ,
tras, museums, churches, schools, women’s shel- and it is worth retelling. In 1967, Mr. Anschutz
ters, rehab clinics, the Boy Scouts, the Salvation was operating as a young wildcatter, just getting
Army, and programs that serve the underprivi- started in the business and exploring for oil in the
leged community. They have launched public mountain west. “I had gone out to spend the
service campaigns and anonymous programs to weekend visiting my then fiancée, and now wife,
meet small but emergency short-term needs of in California,” he recalls. “I got back in late on a
the truly needy. And they have assisted in the Sunday evening and had just gone to sleep. About
building of a state-of-the-art medical and two o’clock in the morning the phone rang and
research center campus. the man calling was my drilling superintendent.
Explaining how they found themselves
involved in so many philanthropic projects, Mr. Jonathan V. Last is a staff writer at the Weekly Standard.
Anschutz chuckles, “You learn as you go. I think Full disclosure: Mr. Anschutz’s Clarity Media Group acquired the
everybody comes to this with particular things Weekly Standard in June 2009. This article was commissioned
that they believe are a good idea or different and written before that acquisition.
20 Philanthropy • Fall 2009
Philip and Nancy Anschutz are the most generous
givers in the state of Colorado. “When we first
started,” Mrs. Anschutz says, “we tried to look at
areas that were maybe not covered by some of
the major organizations that were already in
place, where maybe our smaller dollars could
have an impact.” (Photo above by David Herrera;
used under a Creative Commons license. Photo at
right courtesy of The Anschutz Foundation)
He was calling to tell me that a well that I had a
small ownership interest in, that I was drilling as
a contractor for someone else, had blown out and
was out of control. In the oil business, that’s an
extremely serious and dangerous thing. Many
people are put directly into bankruptcy after such
an event—careers can be ended and people hurt
physically, as well as financially.”
For a moment, Mr. Anschutz rolled over and
started to drift back to sleep. But then he stopped
himself. He didn’t quite know what to do, but he
realized that he had to do something. So he called
his chief geologist and told him to meet him at the
airport. They rented a small plane and flew off to
visit the well site in Gillette, Wyoming.
Philanthropy • Fall 2009 21
P A S S I T O N
“We got there about six o’clock in the 1939; Mrs. Anschutz was born in nearby Harp-
morning,” he explained. “It was cold, windy, er a few years later. They met when she was still
and blowing snow. We managed to wake up the in middle school. “I was in seventh grade and he
airport manager and borrow his car.” When was a sophomore in high school,” Mrs.
they got to within a mile of the rig, the two men Anschutz laughs. “So of course he wouldn’t even
could see oil blowing everywhere, the result of deign to acknowledge me at that age. I had to get
the drill bit hitting to be 20 before he
hydrocarbon unex- actually looked at
pectedly. They turned me.” By that time, Mr.
around and drove The William E. Simon Prize for Anschutz was attend-
back to town, and Philanthropic Leadership ing the University of
Mr. Anschutz pulled THE PHILANTHROPY ROUNDTABLE IS Kansas and majoring
together a crew to try honored to have been asked by the in business, with con-
to get the well under William E. Simon Foundation to admin- centrations in econom-
control. They worked ister the William E. Simon Prize for Phil- ics and finance. A few
for nearly 36 hours anthropic Leadership. The foundation is years later, they were
with little sleep, try- named for its principal benefactor, the married. Today, more
ing to get the well late financier, philanthropist, and Secre- than 40 years later,
back under control, tary of the Treasury, William E. Simon Sr. they remain an uncom-
but to no avail. The purpose of the William E. Simon monly attractive cou-
“At about four Prize for Philanthropic Leadership is to ple. They often run
o’clock in the after- highlight the power of philanthropy to together. He’s complet-
noon I got back in promote positive change and to inspire ed ten marathons. She’s
the airplane I’d rent- others to support charities that completed four.
ed to fly back to Den- achieve genuine results. The prize is From the beginning,
ver because the insur- intended to honor living philanthropists Mr. Anschutz was a
ance company, my who have shown exemplary hands-on leader. His
bank and trade credi- leadership through their own char- father was an oilman,
tors were all asking itable giving, either directly or through one who had lived
what I intended to foundations they have created. through the industry’s
do,” he continued. “I The prize honors the ideals and cyclical booms and
got back to my apart- principles which guided William E. busts. After graduating
ment about seven Simon’s many philanthropic initiatives, from college, the son
o’clock and turned including personal responsibility, took over as president
on the news. The first resourcefulness, volunteerism, scholar- of Anschutz Oil Com-
thing I heard on the ship, individual freedom, faith in God, pany from his father,
news was there’d and helping people to help themselves. who was in ill health. It
been an explosion The Philanthropy Roundtable was a down period and
and fire on a drilling would like to thank the 2009 Selection the business was experi-
rig in Wyoming and Committee, composed of Kimberly O. encing very hard times.
it had blown up. Well Dennis, Betsy DeVos, Frank J. Hanna Somehow, the younger
of course, it was III, Adam Meyerson, W. Fred Smith Jr., Anschutz built the firm
mine. But, at least we John M. Templeton Jr., M.D., J. Peter up. Four years later, he
were very lucky that Simon, and William E. Simon Jr. sold it to Allied Chemi-
no one was killed or cal Company.
even hurt.” After that, he was
That burning well would change his life. free to strike out on his own, forming The
Anschutz Corporation, the company that remains
Almost Abnormally Normal at the center of his business universe. Anschutz
IN A WAY, THE STORY OF THE ANSCHUTZES’ focused first on a sector he already knew: oil. “I
philanthropy is also the story of their lives. Mr. was determined that the name Anschutz would
Anschutz was born in Great Bend, Kansas, in mean something in the oil business,” he told an
22 Philanthropy • Fall 2009
Mr. Anschutz bought out the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1988; eight years later, he merged it
with the nation’s largest railroad, Union Pacific. (Public domain photo; courtesy of Wikipedia)
interviewer in 1974. So he took the initiative. “A pany, Qwest, with U.S. West, one of the Baby
young man sometimes doesn’t know what’s Bells, the dominant telecom business in the
impossible,” he explained. “Where more knowl- region.
edgeable, experienced people would fear to tread, In the late 1980s, Mr. Anschutz began to
young people sometimes move. I did. I was think about expanding further into real estate
aggressive, worked hard. Sometimes we didn’t development in California. This led to con-
know what wouldn’t work. We tried it and it structing sports arenas and entertainment
often did work.” venues, and then building or buying a variety of
As the business prospered, Mr. Anschutz sports and entertainment-related companies to
expanded into other areas. He went into both more fully utilize the venues. The company now
real estate and farming. For a while, he was the owns and operates facilities and conducts oper-
largest single landowner and farmer in Colorado. ations in the United States and a number of
In 1982, Mr. Anschutz sold 50 percent of other countries around the world.
a sizeable oil field to Mobil Oil Company. He In 2000 and 2001, Mr. Anschutz expanded
used the capital to enter new sectors. He further into media and entertainment by pur-
bought a railroad company and then, after chasing several movie theater chains, merging
learning the business, bought out the giant them into a single entity: Regal Entertainment
Southern Pacific Railroad, and eight years Group, now the world’s largest movie exhibi-
later merged with Union Pacific Railroad. In tion company. He entered the production side of
a separate undertaking, he utilized the rights- the film industry, starting Walden Media and
of-way underneath the rail lines to lay fiber Bristol Bay Productions.
optic lines across the United States, helping to Along the way, the Anschutzes had three
create the high-speed network upon which children, two daughters and a son—and some-
early internet traffic would ride. With this how remained, as a reporter for Fortune admir-
infrastructure in hand, he merged that com- ingly described them, “abnormally normal.”
Philanthropy • Fall 2009 23
P A S S I T O N
The Anschutz Foundation “I never had a mid-life crisis, thank good-
AS THE ANSCHUTZES WERE CREATING A GROUP OF ness,” Mr. Anschutz chuckles. “So we began to see
operating business companies—and raising this instead as a midlife opportunity to do things.”
three children—they were also embarking on They started small. “When we first started,” says
what would become an increasingly ambitious Mrs. Anschutz, “we tried to look at areas that
life of philanthropy. were maybe not covered by some of the major
Today, The An- organizations that
schutz Foundation were already in place,
has an endowment of Denver Police Foundation where maybe our
approximately $1 bil- smaller dollars could
THE WINNER OF THE WILLIAM E.
lion. The Foundation have an impact. One of
Simon Prize receives a $250,000 prize,
gives grants to a num- the first things that we
payable to the charity of his or her
ber of charities each actually looked at,
choice. Mr. and Mrs. Anschutz have
year—and the An- because of Phil’s father,
decided to donate the award to the Den-
schutzes give still was health care.”
ver Police Foundation, which is chaired
more privately, often Mrs. Anschutz
by their son, Christian Anschutz. The
anonymously. They continues, “There
Denver Police Foundation supports
are reluctant to dis- were early commit-
Denver’s law enforcement community
cuss specific dollar ments to health
through two major initiatives.
numbers; Mr. An- research. Also, we
The Public Safety Program serves as a
schutz demurs that made commitments
liaison between citizens, the business com-
they give “a signifi- to people who were
munity, and the Denver Police Depart-
cant amount.” on the streets, the
ment, on matters of public safety. Since
But as with their homeless, and shelters
2003, the program has provided funds for
career in business, the for abused women.
initiatives including the purchase of gun-
Anschutzes’ philan- There were commit-
shot trauma kits for each of the Depart-
thropy started much ments to church and
ment’s patrol and SWAT cars, defibrilla-
more modestly. In the faith-related organi-
tors for each of the six district substations
beginning, they gave zations.” As the foun-
and headquarters, domestic violence cam-
here and there, as dation grew, so did
eras, Explorer Scouting program sponsor-
things occurred to the spectrum of gifts.
ship, chaplains’ uniforms, DVD drives for
them. “For many Today, the list of
investigations, suicide prevention training,
years, Phil had been organizations receiv-
and support for Families of Homicide Vic-
doing a variety of ing support from the
tims and Missing Persons.
things anonymously Anschutzes runs to
The Police Officers’ Charitable Aid
that nobody ever the hundreds.
Program provides financial assistance to
knew,” explains Mrs. The Anschutzes
active Denver Police Officers and immedi-
Anschutz. By the late credit their children
ate members of their families during times
’70s, however, they for the expansion of
of medical crisis, long-term illness, or
recognized that “it the charitable inter-
death. Since 1999, the program has assist-
was time to pull it all ests. Now adults, all
ed more than 370 officers and their fami-
together and put it three of the children
lies with medical emergencies, accidents,
into one entity.” play leadership roles
injuries, house fires, and funeral expenses.
“I helped my and have joined the
father set up a founda- board. “Our universe
tion in 1978,” Mr. of gifts continues to
Anschutz explains. “That led us to begin thinking grow and broaden, particularly as the children
about setting up a foundation as well—a founda- get older and are now active participants,” says
tion for ourselves. We finally did in 1983. We Mr. Anschutz. Mrs. Anschutz adds, “They are
started at that time with a lot of good intentions, bringing in more diverse interests than what we
not a lot of capital, because we were still very first started with, certainly.” One of the areas
much in the business of building capital.” their children and their children’s spouses—who
24 Philanthropy • Fall 2009
now have children of their own—are passionate there is a reason to name names, a valid reason
about is education. to use it, we will agree to attach our name. If, for
Like The Anschutz Corporation, The example, the gift creates other contributions that
Anschutz Foundation is clearly the product of a encourage further support or helps to validate a
temperament which places a premium on action. project which in turn might bring broader com-
munity support. But, by and large, we think it’s
“How Can You Make a Difference?” probably most effective to be quiet.”
WHEN ACTION IS AT A PREMIUM, DIRECTION As in his business ventures, Mr. Anschutz’s
can seem discounted. Looking at the diverse list of work in philanthropy has involved a lot of on-
projects, Mr. Anschutz acknowledges as much the-job training. “This has been a learning
himself: “I’m sure there are those who could say— process for us,” both Nancy and Phil acknowl-
and they might be right—that our philanthropy edge. “It is like everything else people set out to
lacks at times a little discipline.” He pauses, and do. You grow within it.”
smiles. “I’m not so sure that we want to change. I This has led the Anschutzes to an entrepre-
think we still prefer to look at a spectrum of things neurial view of philanthropy. Goals are important
as opposed to having one cause or two causes.” and measurement metrics have their place, but
Yet when one looks more closely at the there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the
Anschutzes, it becomes clear there is a single panoply of needs in this world. “It is sometimes
operating principle creating a through-line for difficult to measure the progress you are making
their giving. As he puts it, “The basic concept in the success of a project,” Mr. Anschutz says.
here that we have always operated from is how “And I suspect many times, certain things are just
can you help people? How can you make a real not measurable. I mean, sometimes you need to
difference? Once you see an opportunity, jump have an instinct that a project is probably a good
in and see if you can get it to work.” project, that it will benefit people in the medium
There is a key recognition at the heart of the and long run. Are there parameters to measure
Anschutzes’ philanthropy. They know that per- success? Certainly, on some projects there are. On
sonal involvement is important—these are, after some projects, it is more difficult. And, of course,
all, two very busy entrepreneurs who raised their you can always worry that you might have done
own children. But they also recognize that money things better if you had only done them different-
is indispensable. “We try to be involved personal- ly. It’s one of the imponderables, I suppose, with
ly through time,” Mr. Anschutz says, “but the charitable giving.”
biggest impact that we can really make is to be
able to contribute in a financial way in order to Pass It On
make things happen quicker, more efficiently per- ONE OF THE ANSCHUTZES’ MOST RECENT SIGNA-
haps, and sometimes on a different scale.” ture projects is at once both quiet and ubiqui-
That often means giving anonymously. “We tous: the Foundation for a Better Life. The ini-
have always seen anonymity as a high form of tiative was conceived by the Anschutzes to cele-
charitable giving,” he says. “There are few brate common-sense values—the kind of
instances where our name is on something. If bedrock principles so foundational that they
Philanthropy • Fall 2009 25
P A S S I T O N
The Foundation for a Better Life’s multimedia messaging has reached billions of viewers.
often get lost in the shuffle. Concepts such as on thousands of movie screens, appear in news-
“respect,” “service,” and “leadership.” The papers, on radio, and are featured, at any given
Foundation for a Better Life (FBL) creates pub- moment, on somewhere between 10,000 and
lic service ads spotlighting dozens of these ideals 12,000 billboards across the country. They
across a number of different mediums. FBL then appear regularly in Times Square.
coordinates with media organizations that The spots are made with very high produc-
donate placement for the billboards and public tion values and feature inspirational figures rang-
service ads. They do not sell anything, they ing from Albert Einstein and George Washington
accept no donations, but they do remind people to Kermit the Frog. Unlike many public service
of positive ideals and principles, with the hope ads, which seek to cajole the viewer into making
that they will seep into the public consciousness. a contribution or signing up for a list, the Foun-
“It’s an entrepreneurial idea applied to a phil- dation for a Better Life ads are pure message.
anthropic platform,” Mr. Anschutz says. He “One of the most unique things about them,”
understands how some people may see the project. Mrs. Anschutz explains, “is that there is no ‘ask.’
“If you had ten people in a room, and half of them They are not promoting some cause or asking for
came from large foundation staffs—what I’ll call money. It truly is just a public service reminder.”
the ‘inside the beltway’ of the philanthropic com- The Anschutzes carefully monitor the pro-
munity—four of the five might say, ‘That is the stu- gram’s impact. “We measure results through Nielsen
pidest idea I’ve ever heard.’” He laughs, continu- so that we know how many eyeballs are seeing the
ing, “But if the other five were entrepreneurs, they ads,” Mr. Anschutz says. “Now, at the end of the
hopefully might say, ‘Gee, that is an interesting day, someone could say, ‘This is very nice, but how
idea. You are actually impacting people’s lives uti- do you know that people are actually acting on or
lizing modern media on a broad scale with a posi- doing something about the message?’ I suppose we
tive, uplifting, life-reaffirming set of messages.’” would say if you are creating impressions in the bil-
Food banks, charter schools, and homeless lions—that is what this is, by the way—and if you
shelters are a good way to help people, Mr. assume that there is a take rate, then you logically
Anschutz notes, but in the long run, people assume there is a retention rate.”
grounded in solid values will be better situated “All that matters is that people absorb the
to prosper on their own. “The Foundation for ideas,” he constinues, “that it will positively
a Better Life started on one TV station in Den- affect how they conduct themselves in our soci-
ver, which ran public service ads,” he recounts. ety and they will be open to sharing them with
“It is now in over 200 countries all over the others.”
world on TV and the internet (Values.com).” “There is a tagline,” Mr. Anschutz con-
Messages put together by the project also run cludes, “and the tagline is always, ‘Pass it on.’”
26 Philanthropy • Fall 2009
Yet the Anschutzes aren’t constrained by any
single theory of philanthropy. While the Founda-
tion for a Better Life engages the culture, other ven-
tures get down in the trenches, helping people in
immediate need, working through local communi-
ty foundations in a handful of American cities.
“We try to help people who are really down
and out,” says Mr. Anschutz. “They might need
$500 to fix the car, or some money to buy
clothes so they can go to a job interview, or get
dental work done, or help one of their children
who has a serious illness.” Those in need, work-
Mr. and Mrs. Anschutz contributed over $100 million to what would
ing through the local implementing foundation,
eventually become the Anschutz Medical Campus at the University of
can get a one-time, small-scale grant. Often, it’s Colorado Hospital. (Photo courtesy of University of Colorado Foundation)
all they need to carry them through a crisis.
“Individually, these are relatively small
amounts of money to help people in dire need,” continued to lead, eventually contributing over
Mr. Anschutz continues. “Always with the mes- $100 million to the effort. In 2007, thanks in
sage that (a) it is anonymous, and (b) they do not large measure to the Anschutzes’ leadership, the
have to do anything to earn it—that this is sim- Anschutz Medical Campus opened its doors.
ply an act of kindness, so they should ‘pass it on’ “Phil gave us confidence that we could do it,”
and do some act of kindness for somebody else. says Dennis Brimhall, who served as president
Again, we’re encouraging those individuals with and CEO of the hospital for 17 years. “He’s a
the same message of ‘passing it on,’ once again.” man who can see around corners. That’s real
“Now, let’s go back to those five people from vision—to see things other people can’t see.”
the traditional philanthropic community,” Mr. The campus also features a state-of-the-art out-
Anschutz says seriously. “If you explain this to patient center, which is already recording 600,000
them, some would say, ‘Now that is a really stupid visits per year. Another building on campus houses
idea,’ because there is the old maxim of it being the medical and dental schools. Yet another is home
better to teach a man to fish than to give a man a to the Cancer Center, which boasts cancer survival
fish. There is great validity in that, but neverthe- rates well above the Colorado average. The Rocky
less, while you are teaching him to fish, he and his Mountain Lions Eye Center has its own facility, and
family may have immediate and real needs.” across the street is the CeDAR Center—a drug and
“Sometimes,” Mrs. Anschutz concludes, alcohol recovery unit with its own small campus
“you have to give a man a fish.” which the Anschutzes have also championed.
On a different part of the campus, in a sep-
The Anschutz Medical Campus arate set of twin high-rise buildings, are pro-
AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY’RE ENGAGED IN grams designed for research and clinical trials,
quiet charitable projects, the Anschutzes have and a new health and wellness center is sched-
also been leaders in more traditional, capital- uled to break ground in late 2010.
intensive philanthropy. Perhaps the best example “The idea,” Mr. Anschutz explained to the
is Colorado’s new Anschutz Medical Campus. Denver Business Journal in 2008, “is creating
In the late 1990s, the University of Colorado something on par with the Mayo Clinic and
Hospital in Denver was rapidly outgrowing its with Johns Hopkins, a national destination and
space. Administrators started eying a decommis- identity with research and patient care expertise
sioned army hospital east of Denver. The hospital, at a world-class level.” The hospital is well on
Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center, was a small its way. For 2009–10, U.S. News & World
set of buildings surrounded by vast expanses of Report ranked it among the best in the nation in
alfalfa fields. With that kind of space, there would 6 of 16 medical specialties, including diabetes
be enough room to develop what the administra- and endocrine disorders, gynecology, kidney
tors had hoped might become a state-of-the-art disorders, respiratory disorders, rehabilitation,
complex. The president of the hospital met with and rheumatology.
the Anschutzes, who immediately stepped for- The Anschutzes consider the hospital an impor-
ward to lead the effort. Within a few days, they tant philanthropic success, even as they try to re-
committed to a $25 million initial gift to jump- direct credit for the result. “I want to make sure you
start and help validate the project. understand that it was not just us who helped to
In the years that followed, the Anschutzes make this happen. In fact, our part was relatively
Philanthropy • Fall 2009 27
P A S S I T O N
small in some ways. It was a cooperative effort of Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and
many people working together,” Mr. Anschutz the Wardrobe. Their film Ray won two Oscars.
emphasizes. “By coming in with early dollars, we Many other Anschutz productions, particularly
helped create early synergies and hopefully helped Amazing Grace and Holes, were also critically
to make other things happen. As you get organiza- well-regarded, award-winning productions.
tions and individuals working with each other, you Though Walden Media and Bristol Bay
create a certain early momentum that pulls in yet share the vision with The Anschutz Foundation,
other people, other funds, and other kinetics.” they are not formally connected with the Foun-
dation. Nevertheless, in their own way, they rep-
For-profits for Charity resent philanthropy by other means. “Movie
THAT INSTINCT FOR LEADERSHIP HAS LED THE production is not a good investment,” Mr.
Anschutzes in recent years to pursue some of Anschutz says, “so maybe you should just think
their charitable goals through for-profit enter- of it as philanthropic in a sense.”
prises. They had, for example, long been both- It was the same thinking that led him to
ered by the dearth of family-friendly movies invest in soccer, a sport which has been a posi-
produced by Hollywood. So in 2000, Mr. tive influence for children across the globe.
Anschutz decided, as he put it, “to stop cursing Major League Soccer (MLS) has gone from an
the darkness.” He firmly believed that there upstart, fringe sports league in the mid-1990s to
was a market for family movies with positive, a growing and promising endeavor, thanks in
life-reaffirming messages. Mrs. Anschutz told large measure to the Anschutzes. Mr. Anschutz
him, “Phil, this is one of the nuttier things at one point owned six of the ten MLS soccer
you’ve ever done, so at least keep your day job. teams. Today soccer is the fastest growing sport
He did, but his nutty, light-a-candle idea in America, thanks in large part to the increasing
sparked something. In 2001, he formed Walden number of children now involved in the sport.
Media and Bristol Bay Productions. Between “There had to be a reason why this is the
them, they’ve already released more than 25 world’s number one sport,” Mrs. Anschutz
films. Some of them are blockbusters, such as The explains. “It turns out that it is so wonderful for
children because all you need is a pair of shoes and
a ball. You do not have to have exceptional ability
to be able to play, compete, and enjoy the game.”
Mr. Anschutz adds, “It has the potential to be
applied to a wide base of people, a low participa-
tion cost, and the advantage that it creates positive,
healthy lifestyles for children.” An early involve-
ment in sports leads to all sorts of good outcomes
for kids. “It keeps them healthy, provides them with
achievement of goals and purpose, and can give
them a life-affirming self-confidence that they carry
with them for the rest of their lives.”
Future of the Foundation
IN A WAY, THE COUPLE HOPES THAT THE ANSCHUTZ
Foundation will be similarly character-building
for their own children. From the start, the foun-
dation has been a small operation. In the begin-
ning, it was just the two of them, but throughout
the years they’ve been mostly of one mind. “We
“The idea is creating something on par with the Mayo Clinic and with Johns share the same goals for the foundation and for
Hopkins, a national destination and identity with research and patient care our philanthropy,” Mrs. Anschutz says. “Once in
expertise at a world-class level,” Mr. Anschutz says of the medical campus.
a while, I’ll go off in an odd direction, but it is very
(Photo courtesy of University of Colorado Foundation)
rare.” Her husband adds, “We discuss with each
other our priorities, which things are important,
28 Philanthropy • Fall 2009
which things can make an impact. It started with
the two of us, but it has now expanded to include
our children and their spouses.”
“We wanted to involve the entire family,
and have our children and their spouses start
learning what it means to be able to give away
money responsibly,” Mrs. Anschutz says. “And
you hope,” continues Mr. Anschutz, “that this
feeling, this sense of obligation, gets passed on
to your children, your grandchildren and your
grandchildren’s children.”
Even so, the organization remains small—
the Anschutzes, their three children, two sons-
in-law, three outside board members, and four
full-time associates. “We meet on a regular
basis,” explains Mrs. Anschutz, “and we go
through all the ideas and proposals. It used to
be a little more informal, but now with our chil-
dren assuming more and more leadership, they
prefer a bit more structure.”
The Anschutzes have not yet fully made up
their mind about the foundation’s future. “We
wanted it to be an ongoing entity,” Mr.
Anschutz says. “At times, we have discussed the
idea of sun-setting it, letting it give out its funds
and going out of business. Each time I think
that through, I conclude that it is not a very
good idea, as there should be long-term aspira-
tions and long-term commitments to needs.
However, there are arguments on the other side of
that issue, as well, donor intent being one. Indica-
tions of growing government interference and con-
trols on mandated areas of philanthropic giving are
others.”
Asked how donors can keep their intent
safeguarded from generation to generation,
Mrs. Anschutz laughs and replies, “Other than
brainwashing our children?”
“It’s something that we talk about fre-
quently,” she continues, “because it is such a
major concern of mine. I do not want to see us
become a Ford Foundation or a Pew Founda-
tion, where the men who actually created the “Movie production is not a good investment,” Mr. Anschutz says, “so maybe you
capital behind it would not have believed what should just think of it as philanthropic in a sense.” From top to bottom: Amaz-
would happen to their efforts.” She pauses for a ing Grace (photo courtesy of Bristol Bay Productions), The Chronicles of
Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (photo courtesy of Walden
moment and continues, “But yet, because it is
Media), and Charlotte’s Web (photo courtesy of Walden Media).
an important idea to pass down to children,
grandchildren, great-grandchildren, there is part
of us that wants to see it continue, for those tive experience in his life. In some ways, it all
family members to continue to be a part of goes back to that burning oil well.
something for generations to come.” After seeing his rig in flames on the evening
news, Mr. Anschutz headed immediately back to
“This Is an Opportunity” Wyoming, knowing, once again, that he had to
IF THOSE GENERATIONS YET TO COME WANT TO do something. He called the other interest-owner
understand Mr. Anschutz, they will need to in the well. The next day, the two met at the
remember that burning oil well. It was a forma- Casper airport. They negotiated a contract in a
Philanthropy • Fall 2009 29P A S S I T O N
In the meantime, Anschutz approached Uni-
versal Movie Studios. He had heard Universal
was considering making a movie about legendary
oil field firefighter Red Adair, so Anschutz told
them he’d sell them the rights to film Adair’s crew
putting out an actual drilling rig fire—his! (The
footage was used for what would become the
John Wayne movie Hellfighters.) He then used
the down payment he received from Universal to
pay Red Adair, who had refused to come to the
job site to try and put out the fire until the young
Anschutz, of questionable financial means given
his current predicament, agreed to pay him a por-
tion of his fee—in advance.
The lessons he learned from that ordeal
have shaped his thinking ever since: “You have
to have the initiative, be able to be pragmatic
The Anschutzes have invested in Major League Soccer in part because
and tenacious, seeing all of the opportunity that
of the benefits of soccer for kids. “It is so wonderful for children
because all you need is a pair of shoes and a ball,” says Mrs. Anschutz. could exist, and work like hell and not worry
“You do not have to have exceptional ability to be able to play, com- too much about what people think.”
pete and enjoy the game.” (Photo by Keith Miner; used under a Cre- Mrs. Anschutz says that the incident captures
ative Commons license.) everything about their approach to philanthropy.
“Phil got the call in the middle of the night and
single, five-hour-long session. Lacking writing started to roll over and go back to sleep. But then
paper to commemorate their agreement, the final he realized, ‘I have to get up and do something.
terms were written on a barroom tablecloth. This is an opportunity.’ Sometimes, you need to
The upshot was that Mr. Anschutz would get up and do something, even if you’re not sure
receive an additional ownership interest in the well what that something is at the time.”
and surrounding acreage in exchange for accepting
total liability and bearing the total cost of trying to “Not Rocket Science”
put out the fire. The deal in hand, he boarded a INITIATIVE—GETTING UP AND DOING SOMETHING—
plane for Gillette. After takeoff, he could see the fire is the cornerstone of the Anschutzes’ philanthropy.
illuminating the night sky from 100 miles away. It is what gives them the vision to see a cutting-edge
The flames were shooting fire hundreds of feet into medical complex where others see alfalfa fields. It is
the air. His rig was totally destroyed. Looking at the what gives them the confidence to invest in some of
inferno, he thought to himself, “This is the end. I’ll the philanthropic endeavors they’ve given to.
never be able to overcome all this.” “That is the first step that a person who wants
In typical Anschutz fashion, he gathered to be involved in helping make society better has to
himself. Then he moved forward. reach,” Mr. Anschutz says. “Do you live your life
“What happened was this,” he explains. “I for yourself but with good intentions, or do you
began the next day to lease all the oil and gas intend to do something about it? And sure, you’re
rights I could on trend with the wildcat discov- going to make mistakes. We’ve made our share.
ery. I agreed to pay for the lands within 30 days. But it’s okay. Maybe we do not achieve everything
That was with money I didn’t currently have. I we hoped for and some efforts you contribute to
convinced my banks to give me more time and simply do not work in the way you intended.”
more money. I convinced the recalcitrant insur- But mistakes aren’t lamentable. Good but
ance company to honor its obligations and my empty intentions are.
creditors and suppliers to have confidence in me. “Be good stewards with the good fortune
Then I sold a portion of my interest in the well God has bestowed, and attempt to do what you
to raise the money needed to calm the scared can with what you’ve got,” says Mr. Anschutz.
bankers, creditors, and suppliers and pay for the “It’s usually not rocket science.”
new leases I had committed to purchase.” Pass it on. P
30 Philanthropy • Fall 2009You can also read
