Jean Case’s Journey from Needing Charity to Giving It

Jean Case, wife of Steve Case, the co-founder and former chief executive officer of America Online, is currently the CEO of the Case Foundation and Chair of the National Geographic Society. Case was raised by a single mother, but remained close to her German-immigrant grandparents who instilled a strong work ethic in their granddaughter. Growing up in relatively humble surroundings taught Case the importance of managing money. Her mother, a waitress taking care of four children, was required to make many personal and financial sacrifices in order to take care of Case and her siblings.

After joining AOL and meeting her husband, Case entered into a diametrically different world from the one she knew as a child; she was now able to provide for and help others rather than relying on others for their charity. Case and her husband, as a show of their generosity, have also signed the Giving Pledge which represents a promise by the couple to give away at least half of their wealth to charitable causes.

See Chris Taylor, Jean Case’s Journey from Needing Charity to Giving It, Reuters, June 6, 2017.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.