$7.72 billion earmarked to philanthropy from Judy Faulkner through her Roots & Wings Foundation, which supports low-income children and families

Judy Faulkner, the founder and CEO of Epic Systems, has built one of the most powerful companies in health technology, yet she says she has never cashed a single share for herself.

With an estimated $7.8 billion fortune from her 43% stake in the electronic health records giant, Faulkner is now making news for the way she is giving it away.

Rather than selling stock to enrich herself, Faulkner has been selling nonvoting shares back to the company and channeling the proceeds into philanthropy.

She pledged to give away 99% of her wealth through Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge, and she has already begun following through, funneling money into charitable programs through her Roots & Wings Foundation, which supports low-income children and families.

Faulkner’s style of leadership is as unconventional as her approach to wealth.

At Epic’s sprawling campus outside Madison, Wisconsin, employees work in buildings designed like castles and treehouses, and Faulkner herself holds monthly “work church” gatherings that mix updates with grammar lessons.

Despite being one of the wealthiest women in America, she is known for her modest lifestyle and long-standing insistence on keeping Epic private, free from Wall Street pressures.

As Epic Systems continues to provide medical records for more than 325 million people, Faulkner is quietly shaping a legacy that combines control, creativity, and generosity.

She is proving that the power of a billionaire CEO can be measured not by what she takes out of her company, but by what she gives back.

Judy is married to Dr. Gordon Faulkner, a pediatrician, and they have three children.