Douglas Wolf

Agnostic, Concerned citizen, Consultant, Finance professional, Idea generator, Investor, Lawyer, Marketer, Philanthropist, Real Estate professional

Graduate of UC Berkeley B.A. Political Science; Boalt Hall (Berkeley) Law School (1970). I was a partner in Kantor and Wolf a law firm that specialized in international tax law. Started an investment banking firm (Intercontinental Pacific Group) which acted as an advisor and principal in various large M&A transactions (primarily involving leased assets)from 1983-2005. I am currently a principal in a private equity firm (PCG Equity) specializing in the aquisition of companies with substantial commercial real estate assets. I am on various community and philanthropic boards including the Boalt Hall Alumnae Association, the Boys and Girls Club and the Urban School of San Francisco.

Generally libertarian in orientation I am very interested in bottom up solutions to social problems through entrepeneurial ventures. I have a global vs national perspective.

Most sources of poverty in the U.S. derive from the lack of a supportive family structure. The fact that in African-American and some other minority populations more than 2/3 of all births are out of wedlock places those children a great disadvantage to the majority population. A single mother (usally poor and with more than one child) is in a very difficult position to raise children who will achieve economic and personal success (particularly true for boys). In other minority communities (like many Asian groups) where the family may be poor and not speak English but there is a family unit committed to the child's educational and economic success, rising out of poverty takes one generation. Every poverty program, crime reduction strategy and all external mentoring and assistance is primarily an inadequate attempt to rectify this lack of a known and involved father.

Insurance for Affluent Individuals and Families, Real estate investment, Tax law, Winemaking

Over the last couple of years, I have attended TED Active and TED Global and they were both incredible experience. I got interested through speaking with people who have previously attended and by viewing some of the presentations online. I believe TED is a important and viral phenomenon with great positive implications for the world.

Getting people who have strongly differing points of view to see the other side.