I think over any period of time, especially if you don't use leverage, it is difficult to continually beat the S&P 500.
— Eli Broad
Oprah Winfrey's global influence is unparalleled. Not only has her generosity and firm belief that education is the key to a better life benefited countless women and children around the world, but her example has also inspired millions of people to give back in ways big and small.
As the son of a union activist and a lifelong Democrat, I've always thought that privatizing our public schools is not the answer. We must strengthen public schools.
The first dream I had was just to get a college education. I got through college in three years, taking extra classes in summer school.
Los Angeles is such a great meritocracy. Where can someone with my background - don't have the right family background, the right religion, the right provenance or whatever you want to call it - I come here and I'm accepted. The city's been good to me. And I want to give back.
My wife was the first art collector in the family, and I didn't become interested until around 1973. The first important artwork we bought was a Van Gogh drawing of two peasant houses in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
I don't like to spend time in endless meetings talking about stuff that isn't going to get anything done. I have meetings, but they're short, prompt and to the point.
Philanthropy is activism.
I have always believed that every great city in history needs a vibrant center.
I'd be bored to death if I spent all my time with other businesspeople, bankers and lawyers.
Twombly, frankly, was an acquired taste. I was not in love with Twombly the first time I saw one of his paintings.
The biggest barrier we've seen to student progress is this: School policies and practices often prevent good teachers from doing great work and even dissuade some talented Americans from entering the profession. This needs to change.
The American people frankly have been, over many, many years - to be blunt - fat, dumb and happy. If they want their children to compete with children in India, China or Korea, they better get them a far better education.
The first thing I started collecting was stamps. Until I started discovering girls. That was the end of stamps.
Most museums - with all their burdens to pay for exhibitions, administration, and security - really don't have any money really to acquire art, with few exceptions.
Charity is just writing checks and not being engaged. Philanthropy, to me, is being engaged, not only with your resources but getting people and yourself really involved and doing things that haven't been done before.
If people want to criticize me because it sells papers, that's fine. I just don't like it when it's inaccurate.
If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status quo. I want to help people, to work with institutions or create ones when they don't exist.
I'm strong-willed. Architects are strong-willed. You get the best results with a strong client and a strong architect working together.
It's hard to explain your emotions when you see a work of art.
It's critical that states improve how teachers are trained, recruited, evaluated, compensated, advanced, and retained.
Any city in America would like to get a museum built if they didn't have to pay for it.
I've never been one who enjoys maintaining the status quo. I'm always pushing for new ideas, whether it's in business or philanthropy.
I've become convinced that Los Angeles is going to become the next contemporary art capital - no other city has more contemporary gallery space than Los Angeles. We've come into our own, finally.
I don't want to be in the film business. I'm not even sure it's a business.
You don't support politicians in their elections if whoever's seeking money only has a goal to stay in office or get in office. You have to pick the people who are going to do the best job.
People don't know I've got a deep social conscience. I'm a child of the Depression, born in 1933. My parents were very liberal in their social views.
Los Angeles is one of the four cultural capitals of the world, but we don't attract as many cultural tourists as New York, London or Paris. I want to change that.
