SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of its VisionSF program, the San Francisco Chronicle named prominent philanthropist, Priscilla Chan as its third annual Visionary of the Year. Chan received the honor at an awards ceremony held in San Francisco this evening.
The San Francisco Chronicle is Northern California’s largest circulation newspaper. The Chronicle, along with founding partner Saint Mary’s College of California’s School of Economics and Business Administration, and in 2016 joined by proud supporter of the Bay Area business community and presenting sponsor City National Bank, established the awards program to honor visionary business leaders driving social and economic change through their business models and practices in the Bay Area and beyond.
“I’ve been awed by the genius and commitment of the visionaries who have emerged as nominees in the past three years. They are products of, and contributors to, the blend of idealism, intellect and resolve that pervades so many sectors in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said John Diaz, The Chronicle’s editorial page editor, who chaired the nominating committee. “This year’s class deserves our congratulations and encouragement in their six very distinct and very impressive efforts to change the world for the better.”
On his participation in the VisionSF program, Michael R. Walker, City National Bank executive vice president stated, “The most rewarding part of being on this year’s nominating committee was realizing the phenomenal visionary talent and innovation that resides in the Bay Area.” Walker continued, “I was truly inspired by the people and stories that I reviewed. It was difficult to narrow down the finalists to six, as many are deserving of this honor. I'm grateful to the SF Chronicle, and my fellow nominating committee members, for the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding experience.”
Emmett Carson, Silicon Valley Community Foundation CEO shared, “The number of innovative and visionary people who are working to make the Bay Area a better place is awe-inspiring and humbling. It also made the selection process extremely challenging, as there are many who are deserving of this recognition.”
Priscilla Chan was nominated as a result of her work in bridging education, healthcare, and science to build a better tomorrow for the next generation. In addition to founding The Primary School in 2016, in an effort to integrate healthcare and education, Chan and her husband, Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, launched the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to fund nonprofits and engage in policy debates that “advance human potential and promote equality.”
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized alongside some of our community’s most impactful leaders,” said Priscilla Chan. “The groundbreaking work of these groups demonstrate how the Bay Area’s spirit of innovation can also inspire social change. I hope the work each of these organizations is doing to break down barriers can help more people reach their full potential and inspire others to act now and not wait - we can each make a difference.”
In addition to being named Visionary of the Year, Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader, representing California’s 12th congressional district, presented Chan – and each Visionary of the Year nominee – with a ‘Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition’ for outstanding and invaluable service to the community.
As the winner of the Visionary of the Year title, Priscilla Chan will receive a $25,000 grant to fund her work with The Primary School and The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. In addition, a $10,000 scholarship in honor of Chan will be established for a deserving graduate student at the Saint Mary’s School of Economics and Business Administration in Moraga.
To learn more about Priscilla Chan and her groundbreaking work, please visit the VisionSF site on the San Francisco Chronicle website.
About The San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfchronicle.com) is the largest newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. Acquired by Hearst Corporation in 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. With name-brand voices and a keen editorial eye, the Chronicle is an authority that still surprises.
About Hearst Newspapers
Hearst Newspapers is the operating group responsible for Hearst Corporation’s newspapers, local digital marketing services businesses and directories. With more than 4,700 employees across the nation, Hearst Newspapers publishes 15 dailies and 36 weeklies, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union. It also operates digital marketing services and directories businesses under the LocalEdge brand.
About Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified media and information companies. Its major interests include ownership of 15 daily and 36 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union; hundreds of magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, ELLE and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18 percent of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, HISTORY and ESPN; significant holdings in automotive, electronic and medical/pharmaceutical business information companies; a 50 percent stake in global ratings agency Fitch Group; Internet and marketing services businesses; television production; newspaper features distribution; and real estate. Follow us on Twitter @HearstCorp.
About Saint Mary’s College
The Saint Mary's College of California experience inspires learning that lasts a lifetime. For more than 150 years, the College has provided students with a rigorous education that engages their intellect and spirit, and awakens a desire to transform society. Guided by the Christian Brothers, the Catholic Church's oldest order dedicated exclusively to teaching, the College enrolls more than 4,200 students in undergraduate and graduate liberal arts and business programs. The School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary's College offers more than ten AACSB-accredited undergraduate and graduate programs in various locations across the Bay Area. For more information visit Saint Mary's College at stmarys-ca.edu.
About City National Bank
With $45.1 billion in assets, City National Bank provides banking, investment and trust services through 72 offices, including 16 full-service regional centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada, New York City, Nashville and Atlanta. In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $55.5 billion in client investment assets.
City National is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), one of North America’s leading diversified financial services companies. RBC serves more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the United States and 35 other countries.
For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.
