At both Smile Train and WonderWork, we were blessed with some of the most loyal, supportive and generous supporters any charity could ever ask for.
Back when we started Smile Train, when it was just a crazy idea on a piece of paper, one man believed in us so much, he gave us a large start-up grant that gave us enough time to acquire hundreds of thousands of other donors.
That man was Mr. Walter Haefner of Zurich, Switzerland.
Mr. Haefner passed away a little more than seven years ago. Before he did, he sent me a personal note that said out of all the accomplishments in his life, helping us start Smile Train was the one we were most proud of.
That meant a lot.
Especially since Mr. Haefner was a self-made billionaire who had an exceptional career with a very long list of amazing accomplishments.
After Mr. Haefner passed away, his son Martin and his wife Marianne continued his very generous support of Smile Train. And also provided the first major grant that helped WonderWork get up and running in 2011.
The Haefner Family has been helping provide surgeries for the poor in developing countries for more than 20 years. Between Smile Train and WonderWork, the Haefners have helped provide almost two million surgeries.
I would also like to thank all the other advisors, friends, celebrities and supporters who have helped us in a million different ways over the past 20 years including: the best-selling author and renowned economist Steven Levitt, Dartmouth Professor and investing genius Ken French, Carlyle co-founder William Conway and his wife Joanne, my favorite movie producer, Bradley Thomas, Candice Bergen who has been helping us in so many ways since 1997, Howie Mandell, Warren Buffet, Sir Ben Kingsley, Mariska Hegartay, President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara who traveled to China to help us launch Smile Train so many years ago, and Walter Cronkite who let me film him in his CBS office and create our very first Smile Train video.
At WonderWork, I was very fortunate to work with a great board of directors. Our lead independent director, JJ Coneys, was Chairman of our Audit and Compensation committee and worked closely with our CFO and our auditors, KPMG. Ravi Kant, a Founding Board member also helped us in many ways including hosting a major donor trip to India. I want to also thank our other board members for all of their help and support: Steve Levitt, Clark Kokich, Dickie Steele, Steve Rappaport, Richard Price and Mark Atkinson.
General Colin Powell was a longtime donor and supporter. At Smile Train’s 10-year anniversary event at Lincoln Center celebrating 500,000 surgeries, Gen. Powell gave the most amazing speech.
At the very beginning, NBC Anchorman Tom Brokaw did a lot to help us launch Smile Train. He got us on The Today Show and he also encouraged his good friend Bill Gates to help us which he did with a $1 million grant.
My longtime friend Dr. Drew Ordon, America’s most famous plastic surgeon, traveled to India and operated on a cleft patient for his award-winning TV show, The Doctors.
Alex Trebek traveled all over the U.S. to host special major donor events in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco in Washington DC.
Jane Kaczmarek was a longtime donor and supporter who also traveled around the world with us.
TV and movie star Chris Meloni and his wife Sherman came with us to Haiti. We took them to Cite Soleil, the biggest slum in the western hemisphere. Afterwards, Chris helped operate on an 8-year-old girl named Bergaline.
Christie Brinkley has been the best spokesperson Smile Train could ever hope for.
And Norah O’Donnell was a spectacular host for our Smile Train 10 Year Anniversary Event at Lincoln Center.
The very talented Megan Mylan directed and produced Smile Train’s Oscar-winning documentary Smile Pinki which has now been viewed by 25+ million people. This film has helped Smile Train raise tens of millions of dollars.
Many friends of mine helped me get Smile Train and WonderWork up and running. Special thanks to Richard and Kat Price who helped start Smile Train in China way back when and then helped us start WonderWork ten years later, global health genius and best-selling author Dr. Atul Gawande, Chris Raleigh, Renee Harbers, Larry and Judy Howard, Tom Morgan, Stephen and Marnie Worth, Brad and Michelle Cuddeback, Michael and Kristin Bianco, John and Gretchen Mannix, and renowned photographer Robert DiScalfani.
The best art director in the world – and also my former ad agency partner – Mike Schell, designed the logos for both WonderWork and Smile Train. He also created hundreds of ads, brochures, annual reports, direct mail letters, and videos to help us over the years. Without Mike Schell, Smile Train and WonderWork would never have been possible.
The following donors and supporters were critical to creation and success of WonderWork:
Martin and Marianne Haefner, Janet Carrus, Lisa Strain and Clark Kokich, William Conway, Laura and John Arnold, Ken and Vickie French, Joseph Cartolano, Victor and Cynthia Mitchell, Jim Ed Miller, Ann Ziff, Joseph Mullaney, Rafael and Diana Vinoly, Robert Wishnew, William and Sue Gross, Janice Morford, D’Ette Fowlkes, Alan Parker, The Oak Foundation, Betty Richard, Karin and Ginny Hakansson, Mr. & Mrs. Norman and Piper Lind, Jack Teeters, Joseph O’Donnell, Mr. Nathaniel de Rothschild, Sharon L. McCollam, Garrett and Mary Moran, Dr. Albert Malvino, Richard Cashin, Manoj Shekar, Mr. Bobby Cox, Jeanine and Kevin O’Brien, Bill and Nancy Thompson, Ms. Lois W. Dyk, David and Dru Garcia, R. L. Moore, Glenn and Beryl Polin, Lisa Bertani, Maurits Schouten, Kevin and Katherine MacDonald, Frank and Jeanne Trainer, Paolo Fresco, Suzanne Bartolucci, Janie Helmer, Larry and Judy Howard, Sanjay Newatia, Mr. Steven Bruce Klinsky, Richard and Kat Price, Beth Onosko, Mr. Steven Levitt, Renee Harbers, Robert Sanders, Adrea Heebe, Rick and Amanda Rowse, Lionel Kaliff, Ms. Ronnyjane Goldsmith, Mr. Robert Egbert, Gene And Cathy Arthur, Sanjay Balan, Michael and Lauren Reese, Allen and Jennifer Gann, Micol Bartolucci, Mr. Dean Phillips, Iris Detter, Pam and Roy Lobenhofer, Mr. & Mrs. Sidney and Nena Rieb, Ms. Candice Bergen, Mr. Scott Gieselman, Kari Gran and Lisa Strain, Dorothy Pauly, Mr. Alex Trebek, Sael Bartolucci, William and Karen Collier, Roman Fuzaylov, Mr. Gary Nickander, Francine and Cees Boudewijn, Daniel and Wendy Siracusa, Steven N. Rappaport, Harvey & Roberta Chaplin, John and Gaye Iorio, Mr. Jacques Lagarde, Bette Midler, Stephen Mullaney, Meg Kedrowski, Mr. Ted Dysart, Mr. Peter L. Malkin, Ms. Virginia Beltrami, Steven and Pamela Mensch, Serena Connelly, Donald Beaudry, Mr. & Mrs. Marlyon and Jessie H. Abrams, Madeline and Michael Hughes, Andreas and Martina Regenauer, Mr. Jerome D. Ryan, Ms. Mahasti Mashhoon, Robert J. Durkin, Dmitri Chavkerov, Robert and Carole Koscielny, Dr. Gopakumar Nair, Mr. Gregory McNece, Doryce M. Moosey, Joachim Funck, Mark J. Conlin, Michelle Jourdak, Frank Barone, John Frick, Gary and JoAllen Ferris, Ms. Audrey Wreszin, Matthew E. Steinmetz, Mr. & Mrs. Creighton Hoffman, Theresa M. McCarthy, Ms. Betty Breslaw, James C. Baker, Ms. Lucille Francis, David and Karen Blattner Jr., Mrs. Ruth Robertson, Paul B. Guilden, Ms. Janet Martin, Johnnie S. Eden, Susan Moralis, Thomas and Joan O’Connor Jr., David Barton, Larry and Cynthia Feinberg, Marc Kieselstein, Ms. Elvera E. Koper, Mr. Charles J. Nielson, Ms. Dianne M. Connelly, Steven Danko, Gregory Horowitz and Amy Bloch, Mr. & Mrs. Walter Eberspacher, John Daley Jr., Richard B. Hirsch, Mr. David Letterman, Mrs. Stella Woods, Mr. Robert Smith, Richard and Mary Jo Stanley, Ms. Sandra Atlas Bass, Bettie R. May, Ms. Elaine Torassa, Mr. James J. Mullin, Linda Popolano, Mr. Michael and Margaret Sills, Mr. & Mrs. George W. Slaughter, Samantha Farber, Ms. Nancy Lee, Mr. Edgar N. James, Mr. Lewis E. Fountain, Brad Carson, Mrs. Carol B. Glowe, Loren A. Jahn, Mr. & Mrs. Jay D. Fenton, Micah S. Mauney, Robert Fox, Ms. Rebecca A. Neuwirth, Ms. Susan R. Moul, James and Dorene Cooney, Ralph Kosmicke, Donald L. Spink, Mr. & Mrs. Gerald L. Reynolds, Mr. Philip J. Stutes, Mr. Michael F. Revere, Ms. Darla Postil, Mel Selway, Ms. Elizabeth Tran, Mr. & Mrs. David Feavel, Mr. Bruce Hoffman Jr., Victor Perez, Theresa Lawrence, Mr. David K Blachly, Chermaine R. Bell, Bradlee H. Shattuck, Stephen Cloud, Betty Hekimian, Mr. Andrew Svatek, Andrew Teske, Eugene Murtha, Mrs. Mary Judith Meelia, Frances Vernosky, Mr. Roger J. Trinchero, Sherman and Pauline Jensen, Ms. Alexandra Maldutis, Mr. Alfred B. Guinn, Michael Himes, Mr. Vijay Parikh, E. Marie Bothe, Ms. Annalisa O’Neill, Ms. Margaret G. Rucks, Mrs. Sylvia J. Bergeron, Mr. Verne Sandwall, Mr. Gerald C. Miller, Jeffrey and Rona Abramson, Ms. Mary E. George, Satish S. Karandikar, Mr. & Mrs. George Chopelas, Mr. James J. Donovan, Sandra Swift, Ms. Monique M. Regard, Mr. Joseph L. Fata, Ms. Mary M. Shaffer, Mr. John McMullin, Rorrie Gregorio, Mark Vannatta, Mr. Matt L. Flinn, Mr. Thomas B. Thornton, Ms. Kathleen L. McCarthy, Mr. & Mrs. Don Noblitt, Beatrice Simpson, Mr. David N. Cutler, Ms. Pennelope Goodfriend, Mr. Jeffrey Pesot, Rex Klepper, Lee Andrews, Mr. Michael Flaks, Ms. Judy M. Judd, Anne L. Buchacek, C. R. Patel, Ms. Laura Bevevino, Ms. Kathleen McIntyre, Mr. & Mrs. Albert F. Hofeld, Jake and Karen Wood, Ziad Meziab, Mr. Malcolm F. Baker, Joseph J. Magliocco, Maria Repke, Ms. Vera E. Hursman, Mrs. Marian L. Edelstein, Mr. James Nash, Ellanora Schneider, Mr. Michael Paul Wonderly, Christina Heerink-van Hattem, Marian and Kathleen Wisniewski, Ms. Norma A. Crouch, Mr. Bruce Mottweiler, Mr. James B. Arnold, Wendy Jill Palmer, Seshadri Tangutur, Jennifer L. Meyer, Ms. Madeline G. Migura, Konstantin Kravchenko, Ms. Patricia Pogue, Mr. Lawrence Lu, Marilag Mendoza, Ms. Deborah S. Bozek, Sal Randazzo, Mr. Steve Johnson, Mr. Robert Nevoraski, James and Phyllis Ford, Shehab E. Shenouda Demian, Mr. James D. Murdock, Ms. Shona Varghese, Peter Rim, Patsy Pennington, John GudelskyAntony and Marsha Rider, Walter Angoff Mr. Joseph McDevitt, Gary Lane Smith, George H. Zilliac, Mr. Ara Torossian, Kim Lenahan, Kenneth F. Kittelberger, Ms. Robyn K. McGraw, Mrs. Viola M. Banger, Daniel Whitaker, Mr. Brian Barry, Ms. Elsie Sokol, Edwin and Kathleen Neill, Amit Thakur, Ms. Peg Yorkin, Charles Kirk, Mr. Dennis R. Hobart, Joan C. Layman, Mr. Joseph E. Grush, Maria Teresa Meyer, Mr. James R. Benko, Ms. Jenleewest Sassarini, David and Edith Tully, Mr. John L. Simmons, Mr. & Mrs. Chester Taylor Jr., Richard K. Dowse II, Aarti Shukla, Ms. Martha L. Heft, Dennis and Joann Demoss, Ms. Annabell L. Page, Ms. Liz Northrop, Ambika Biggs, Mr. B. Prestley Smith Jr., Helen Enslow, Dennis Johnson, Dr. William and Jane Murray, Mr. David B. Gibb, Ralph E. and Pamela Morgan, Harriet and George Blackmore, Ms. Sherri L. Huffman, Ms. Sarah K. Cleveland, Mrs. O. G. Hill Jr., Dr. Will C. Pritchard, Todd R. Lee, Dr. Melissa M. Tyree, William G. Holloway, Helen Payne, Mr. & Mrs. Jeffry S. Riso, Mr. Winston F. Guest II, Mr. Clark Green, Faheem A. Abbasi, Winthrop and Joanne Smith, Richard Philipps, John Myler, Thomas C. Bishop, Donilea Mohr, August J. Silva Jr., Lou H. Rogers, Mr. Roger Sumner, Mrs. Fina Galvan, Ms. Susan C. Godfrey, Mr. Allen Lowrie, Ms. Marian Janss, Scott Hartung, Ms. Vandana, Sheth, Mr. Daniel Hellriegel, Deborah Hartnett, Dr. & Mrs. Norberto E. Priu, Mr. & Mrs. Albert Wolfenberger, Albert Tucker, Gregory L. Chachere, Mr. Roger W. Gullixson, Mr. & Mrs. Grover Shugart Jr., Mr. Glenn D. Schiller, Mr. Salvador Subira, Albert Russo, Farrukh Saeed, Mr. Jay Graf, Rasiah Ranjith Leon Mr. Thomas, W. Havey, Ms. Nannette Weaver, Mr. David Oliver, Ms. Trudy Huddleston, Mr. Badri Ramanathan, Mr. James Higgins, Mr. Lawrence A. Benenson, Mr. Robert Hogue, Dr. Alexander Lieberman, Mr. & Mrs. Ted And Joyce Van Pelt, Ron Garrison, Mr. Frederick S. Addy, Leonard and Rita Sisul, Mr. Nihar Sheth, Burke F. Gibson, James M. Jacobi, Mrs. Gayle Kurtz, Ms. Michelle D. Figueras, Mr. Charles L. Fuller, Dr. James R. Faust, Mrs. Connie C. McEvoy, Dr. John M. Harutunian, Tracy A. Avallone, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Savage, Mr. Bernard Ries, Mr. James Rogers, Ms. Carol Licht, Mr. Benjamin Napier, Connie C. Cameron, Michael Curtis, Norman Wessel, Kathleen Jenkins, Jack Merrill, Mr. Charles Feltus, Mr. Derwood K. Koenig, Joel J. Smith, Ms. Mary L. Hightower, Alex Wood, Chaplain James Fry, Rev. Donald C. Kocher, Mr. Danny A. Byler, Freda Vanderhart, Geza Schoen, Mr. Joe Hudgens, Mr. Richard P. Stravitz, Bruce B. Taylor, Jarret Ahn, Mr. Christopher J. Linton-Smith, Mary Ann Paulic, Judy Jones-Cone, Dr. Peter C. Christenson, Mr. Chas M. Miller, Mr. David M. Wilder, Rev. Peter Paurazas, Neal and Martha Brown, Mr. Bruce E. Meyer, Birch and Catherine Mullins, Spencer Pfleiderer, Ms. Caroline P. Young, Raymond T. Dalio, Mr. Scott G. Nichols, Mr. James K. Secunda, Mr. Matthew Pasts, Nalini and Ravi Saligram, Mr. & Mrs. William J. Kontor, Madeline P. Koehler, Harold Greer, Robert and Susan Presberg-Greene, Ms. Evangeline H. Hughes, Christopher J. Striedter, Peter & Patty Arpin, Mr. Walter Angoff, Lynn Clark, Philip G. McCarthey, Al Hillstrom, Dan and June Walcott, Ms. Elaine Tosti, Rhonda J. Hawkins, Mr. Joseph A. Tusinski, Mr. Victor Diffee, Mr. Walter M. Brownson, Dr. Hamid Shirvani, Thomas J. Kuehn, Roger F. Vorce, Col. & Mrs. Ambrose A. Szalwinski (Ret), Mr. Mark Schmeitz, Mrs. Julia A. Wingard, Mr. & Mrs. Giuseppe Cecchi, Mr. Scott W. Kelly, Mr. Robert E. Arbogast, Mr. Ernest Draganza, Ruble Nedumkunnel, Dorothy H. Hartman, George Rowe, Harvey S. Flaisher, Collin H. Rushfeldt, Rev. Peter Helfrich, Ms. Dorothy Dweck, Mr. Srikanth Ramachandran, Michael J. Ross, Mr. James J. Gallagher, Mr. Phillip Smith, Pastor Martin Muller, Dr. William Chamberlain, Michael Bunger, Mr. & Mrs. Walter M. Daly, Andrew J. Merkovsky, Mr. Gary Pomeroy, Ms. Donna J. Kratz, Mr. Douglas M. Faris, Mr. Thomas G. Schleich, Catherine Sears, Mr. William Joe Webb, Mr. Will Spence, Mr. Ahmad Shirvan, Mrs. Elizabeth F. Summerhill, Michael De Stefano, Mr. Kenneth Anderson, John J Burke, Mr. Wesley V. Geary II, Wray Jolley, Philip and Ruth Ingber, Mr. Per Brostrup-Jensen, Ms. Sandra J. Olson, Ms. Viola F. Fogg, Mr. Roberto Vazquez, Thomas C. Strickland, Mr. Owen Bekkum, Ms. Patsy R. Jones, Ms. Shirley Ramirez, Mr. Mike N. Forster, Jen-Jay Huang, David L. Mullett, Lynn and Fred Hanna, Mr. Robert K. M. Peterson, Mrs. Frankie Stanley, Mr. John K. Maher, Mr. Harry H. Phillips, Ms. Melody Auer, David Boehlke, Ms. Margaret M. Byrne, Mr. John Ray, Mrs. Dorthea Cram, Mr. Joseph K. Curley, Ms. Lorna E. Johnson, James Buros, Zelda J. Gorman, Ms. Kim Nechay, Thomas and Anita F Veldman, William D Chin, TrusteeMr. Timothy E Luberski, Mr. Leslie Alexander, Yamel Zanides, Mr. Floyd W. Haynes, Daniel and Margaret S. Loeb, Mr. Glen I. Stevens, Mr. James F. Pierce Jr., Mr. Virgil D. Muller, Ms. Sheila A. Evers, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Mayer, Msgr. Robert Overman, Mr. George WalmsleyKen and Barbara Melkus, Mr. Marvin L. Thrasher, Virginia B. Vigorito, Dr. Gaurang, J. Trivedi, Stephanie Stenger Montgomery, Nabeel Nabulsi, Jerry Wheatley, Ann Spilka, Joan Clarke, Dick Sweet, A. Gary Fieger, Jeffrey Bershad, Jillian Jacobs, Ms. Judith B. Hale, Roger Haupt, Mr. Dale Johnston and Ms. Jocelyn Watkins.
The following donors and supporters were critical to the success of Smile Train:
Maurice “Hank” Greenberg and Florence Davis of Starr Foundation, David Gelbaum, Ratan Tata, Ravi Kant, The Tata Trust, Bill and Melinda Gates, Jeff and Renee Harbers, Chuck Feeney, Jeff Mannix, Bob and Mary Jane Engman, Joe and Rosemary Mullaney, Clark Kokich and Lisa Strain, Joanne and Bill Conway, Jack Radgowski, John McDonnell, Patron, Mr. Jon Havens, Nikesh Arora, Google, Martin Moodie and The Moodie Report, Ed Brennan and Lynn Arce and DFS, Olivier and Alexandra Bottrie, Dick and Pat Warren, Bob and Kathy Egbert, Emily Tabor, Linda Reeves, Harold Simmons, Betty and El Richard, Dr. Richard Bennett, Thomas Hicks, James A. Rothschild, Francine Boudewijn, Gary and Meg Krier, Victor and Cynthia Mitchell, Sir John Zochonis, Maria Pertile, Brad and Katherine Vogt, Jeff and Jane Crouth, Stan Skowronski, Larry Waterhouse, Jim Ward and his daughter Adrea Heebe, Joshua Durst, Jean Barthelemy, Bette Day, Earl and Sarah Padgett, Ann and Abigail Lurie, Marjorie Lewis, John Foord, Herbert and Svetlana Wachtell, Christopher Jeffries, Elizabeth Bynum, Elliot Jaffe, Janet Carrus, Dan Siracusa, Helena Frost, Jay and Lois Miller, Cornelia Funke, Peter Buck and the Buck Family, Carolyn Sakolsky, Tracy Chinery, Kevin MacDonald, Alistair and Sue Maughan, Lisa and John Bertani, Ralph Giannella, Evelyn Feintech, Maria Echavarria, Harold Hamm, John Winston, Tony Havers, Michael Schrader and Patricia Pierce, Harvey Chaplin, Cliff and Laurel Asness, Michele and Chad Denlinger and their beautiful son Sean, D’Ette Fowlkes, Jack Holt, Dolph Bowman, Roye and Wendy Palmer, Suzanne Bartolucci, Mike Reese, Mike and Joanne McMahon, Marshall and Mona Faith, Lillian Kimmel, Jim and Marilyn Simons, John and Gaye Iorio, Hoz Compton, Dominick Scotto, Scott Howard, Al Borgersen, Woody and Grace Dolan, Joan Tisch, Vickie and Ken French, Ann Gottlieb, Tom Cassidy, Stan Frymann, Brian and Tania Higgins, the late Aubrey McClendon, Greg Burke, Ravikant Varanasi, Willem Roelandts, Sergio Acle, Leo Seal, Mike Milbury, Edward Shaw, Robert Sanders, Sheila Larson, Dorothy Lemelson, Anne Smith and Dubai Duty Free, Wiley Hatcher, Philip and Holly Wagner, Georgie Exarchakis and his parents, the late Glenn Mustee, Ann Jones and John Coulter, Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman of Lucky Brand, Charles and Helen Dolan, John Jordan and his mother, Sally, Hall and Joan Worthington, Scott Mercer, Pierce Mangurian, Ed Ochylski, Betty Higgins, Andy Kaoh, Ruth and Roger MacFarlane, John and Lisa Stoika, Philip Niarchos, Virginia Johnston, Mike and Connie Joines, Matt and Sharon Edmonds, Peter and Wilma Veldman, Anita and Tom Veldman, Paul and Jane Helmer, Manoj Shekar, Mel and Marie Kay.
More about our Supporters
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Nick Kristof
Nick Kristof has been a hero of mine for many years. New York Times columnist. Two time winner of The Pulitzer Prize. Best-selling author. I am an avid reader of his twice–a-week award-winning columns in the New York Times in which he writes about human rights, global health, sex trafficking and sometimes about…
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President George H.W. Bush
“I think The Smile Train is a terrific idea. It will help hundreds of thousands of children who are currently living desperate lives of shame and isolation.” President George H.W. Bush, 1997 President George H.W. Bush was instrumental in getting Smile Train up and running. We were able to brief President Bush about…
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Warren Buffett
“A surgery that can change a child’s life, is one of the best investments anyone can make.” Warren Buffett, Smile Train & WonderWork supporter Warren Buffett is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. I met him by chance at a fancy black-tie event in New York City. He knew my father, Joseph…