Jon and Abby Winkelried: quiet architects of impact
By any measure, Jon Winkelried’s résumé commands attention.
The former co-president of Goldman Sachs and current CEO of global investment firm TPG has steered some of the most consequential shifts in modern finance. But beyond the boardroom and billion-dollar deals, Winkelried is quietly crafting a legacy of another kind—one rooted in education, heritage, and thoughtful philanthropy.
Together with his wife, Abby, Winkelried channels his influence not into headlines, but into institutions—seeding leadership, discovery, and values for generations to come.
Winkelried’s ascent began at Goldman Sachs in 1982, culminating in his appointment as co-president and COO in 2006.
He left the firm in 2009 with a portfolio that included 1.5 million shares, which are now worth nearly $900 million.
After a short retirement, he returned in 2015 to co-lead TPG. He ultimately took the firm public and oversaw a 50% rise in its stock since its IPO. His stake in the company today is valued at over $950 million.
But while his financial achievements are widely chronicled, his philanthropic journey has unfolded with far less fanfare—and far more intentionality.
The Jon & Abby Winkelried Foundation, founded in 1992, is not about volume but precision. With charitable disbursements approaching 97% of annual expenses, the foundation reflects the Winkelrieds’ belief in focused, transformative giving.
Nowhere is this clearer than at Vanderbilt University, where Jon serves on the Board of Trust and the family’s generosity has endowed:
The Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair in Political Science
The Winkelried Family Chair in Neuroscience
The Winkelried Family Chair in Jewish Studies
A Family Scholarship for need-based undergraduates
A Leadership Fellowship at the university’s Peabody College
These gifts aren’t mere transactions but investments in intellectual infrastructure designed to empower future leaders across disciplines.
In parallel, the Winkelrieds have emerged as committed stewards of Jewish spiritual and cultural renewal.
Abby Winkelried serves on the Honey Foundation for Israel board, a pioneering organization that supports innovative and inclusive models of Jewish leadership.
The foundation’s giving portfolio includes grants to temples and Jewish educational institutions across the U.S. and Israel, affirming a deeply held connection to identity and continuity.
What sets Jon Winkelried apart is his restraint.
In a philanthropic era often defined by mega gifts and branded buildings, he and Abby are charting a subtler course that favors long-term transformation over short-term recognition.
They are building systems, not symbols.
In doing so, Jon and Abby Winkelried are redefining what it means to be a donor in the 21st century: less visible, perhaps, but more intentional, strategic, and undeniably more meaningful.