Activist Philanthropist

The Donor’s Turn People who make a difference through generous giving By Mary Ellen Collins Alan D. Solomont: Activist Philanthropist Campaigns—philanthropic and political—keep Alan D. Solomont busy, motivated and fulfilled. The founder and former CEO of the ADS Group, a network of eldercare services, currently supports his alma mater by co-chairing Tufts University’s $1.2 billion capital campaign, “Beyond Boundaries.” He also serves as Barack Obama’s New England finance chair. According to Solomont, there is not much difference between the two activities. “I don’t make a distinction between what I do in philanthropy and what I do in politics,” says Solomont, who re- ceived the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the AFP Massachusetts got a job running a nursing home and early-stage healthcare companies. Chapter in 2005. He cites an inscrip- became, in his words, “a business guy.” Solomont believes that effective phi- tion at the entrance to Boston’s John While he built a career in elder care, he lanthropy grows out of determining F. Kennedy Presidential Library, which found the doorway that led him further what values are most important to you reads, “This library is dedicated to the into politics. and deciding what you want to accom- memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy “I discovered I could be active in plish. For him, it is addressing social and and to all those who through the art of the political arena if I would help raise economic inequality and encouraging ac- politics seek a new and better world.” money,” he says, with a sparkle. His tive citizenship. He speaks passionately “That was the politics I was raised first political fundraising job was selling about the need to “equalize the playing on—to seek a new and better world,” $50 tickets to a local event for a state field and help people whom prosperity he says. “It’s what I try to do.” senator. Twenty years later, he would has left behind.” That has been the driv- help raise $40 million during his tenure ing force behind his work with Boston Equalizing the Playing Field as the national finance chairman of the Medical Center (www.bmc.org), where Solomont says he first “became politi- Democratic National Committee. half of the patients have annual incomes cized” while studying political science Before signing on with Obama, below $20,000. According to Elaine and urban studies at Tufts in the late Solomont held significant positions in Ullian, president and CEO of BMC, ’60s, envisioning a future as an anti- five previous Democratic presidential “Alan Solomont’s impact on Boston poverty lawyer. Instead, he graduated campaigns, underscoring his belief that Medical Center cannot be overstated. and became a community organizer philanthropy cannot be the sole solu- He is unique in that his commitment to in Lowell, Mass., believing that “if we tion to the world’s problems. Boston Medical Center reflects his deep could empower people to look at issues “If we don’t fix the public sector, dedication to social justice and social on a collective basis, we could build a if government isn’t on the right side, activism. It is the perfect convergence of more humane society.” nothing else matters,” he says. values, energy, talent and skills.” To pay the rent, he worked as a nurs- When he sold the ADS Group in Solomont co-chaired the Medical ing home orderly, where he discovered 1996, he decided to focus on politics Center’s Moakley Campaign for a new that he enjoyed taking care of the el- and philanthropy and do business on clinical building to house cancer ser- derly. That led to a nursing degree so he the side. He is currently chairman of a vices and raised more than $58 million. could support himself while continuing Newton, Mass.-based company, Solo- Under his leadership of the board’s de- to organize. Unexpectedly, however, he montBailis Ventures, which invests in velopment committee, philanthropic Advancing Philanthropy 36 October | 2007 The Donor’s Turn revenues went from $5.7 million an- A Sense of Citizenship where the university has a presence. nually to more than $28 million. For Solomont also has taken his commit- In addition to being a senior fel- Solomont, his efforts boil down to do- ment to civic responsibility back to low at the Tisch College, Solomont is ing the right thing to address an unac- Tufts, where he is helping to set the a visiting instructor in the department ceptable situation. stage for a new generation of students of political science, where he teaches a “There’s a huge disparity in cancer to heed the call to social action. seminar on the American presidency. survival rate, depending on the eco- “Tufts is where I began to connect “Alan is a serial philanthropist,” nomic background of the patient,” he the mind and the heart,” he recalls. says Tufts President Lawrence Bacow. says. “Being poor shouldn’t mean you “It’s where I blossomed intellectually “He understands that to make a dif- get second-rate medical care.” and first acquired a sense of citizenship. ference in the world, you have to get He and his wife, Susan, who is a If we want to change our democracy, involved, not just by being generous professional adviser on strategic phi- we need to get involved.” with your resources, but also with your lanthropy, named the Hematology and Solomont was one of the founding time. Lots of people write checks. Alan Oncology Center as part of their cam- members of the university’s Tisch Col- also gives of himself. He sets a wonder- paign gift to BMC. “Of all the things lege of Citizenship and Public Service ful example for others in his willingness I’ve done, it’s the one that makes me the (http://activecitizen.tufts.edu). The col- to talk about his personal commitment most proud,” Solomont says. “When lege is designed to infuse education for to being an active citizen.” I go to the Moakley Building and see active citizenship throughout the uni- Solomont believes that community what we have accomplished collective- versity, from curriculum development service can be a transformative experi- ly, it really does move me.” to working with local communities ence and credits his community orga- Invest inyour future. 978-0-471-70648-9 978-0-471-73838-1 978-0-471-68429-9 978-0-470-11797-2 978-0-471-73837-4 978-0-471-67846-5 June 2005 February 2006 December 2004 March 2007 March 2006 March 2005 List price: $42.00 List price: $37.00 List price: $44.00 List price: $35.00 List price: $37.00 List price: $39.00 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $33.67 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $31.50 Visit the AFP Online Bookstore at www.afpnet.org www.afpnet.org 37 Advancing Philanthropy Invest inyour 978-0-471-70648-9 978-0-471-73838-1 978-0-471-68429-9 June 2005 February 2006 December 2004 List price: $42.00 List price: $37.00 List price: $44.00 future. AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $33.67 Visit the AFP Online Bookstore 978-0-470-11797-2 978-0-471-73837-4 978-0-471-67846-5 March 2007 March 2006 March 2005 at www.afpnet.org List price: $35.00 List price: $37.00 List price: $39.00 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $31.50 AFP price: $31.50 The Donor’s Turn nizing for informing much of his later work. Thirty years after helping Lowell Finding the Road Not Taken residents tackle issues such as tenants’ rights, Solomont was appointed by Alan D. Solomont, chairman of Solomont- Q. Is there anything you don’t like President Clinton to the board of direc- Bailis Ventures in Newton, Mass., grew up about raising money? tors of the Corporation for National in an environment of giving, and he feels A: I’m very frustrated by anonymous giving. and Community Service in Washing- philanthropists should be examples for I look at the value of philanthropy embodied ton, D.C., which oversees AmeriCorps, others. in the dollars you give and the example you the National Senior Service Corps and set. I respect humility, but we have to mod- Learn and Serve America. Q. Did you come el the right behavior. If you do it tastefully, it “I was present when Clinton signed from a politically ac- doesn’t have to be an exercise in egotism. the legislation to create the AmeriCorps tive family? Anonymous giving misses an opportunity program. When you see the power of A: No. I came from a to set an example for others. politics to transform the world and very religious family of feel you had a hand in it, it doesn’t get Orthodox Jews. The ori- Q. Can you give us an example of how much better,” Solomont admits. entation was on faith, or why you would say “no” to a request and a lot of what I’ve for a gift? Perfecting the World done has been based A: I try not to say no completely. Every ask Solomont’s priorities also include work- on those values. My father grew up quite is worthy, but it wouldn’t be productive if I ing for peace in the Middle East and a poor, but he was passionate about tzeda- tried to do everything. The number of gifts democratic Israel. He has advised gov- kah (righteous giving). No matter how little we make each year is in the hundreds, but ernment officials on matters relating he had, he was taught to give and to pro- only a couple of dozen of those are signifi- to the peace process and accompanied vide for those less fortunate.

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