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Birth
Born in Omaha, Nebraska to a Stockbroker and a homemaker -
Childhood
Warren was an only boy of three children, and he demonstrated a knack for financial and business matters, and was said to be a mathematical prodigy -
First Investment
Warren made his first investment at 11 years old. Buying three shares of City Service Preferred, making a small profit. -
First Business
By the age of 13, Buffett was running his own businesses as a paperboy and selling his own horseracing tip sheet. That same year, he filed his first tax return, claiming his bike as a $35 tax deduction -
High School Advetures
During his high school tenure, he and a friend purchased a used pinball machine for $25. They installed it in a barbershop, and within a few months the profits enabled them to buy other machines. Buffett owned machines in three different locations before he sold the business for $1,200. -
College
Warren attended University of Pennsylvania at age 16. After two years he transferred to the University of Nebraska to finished his degree. He emerged from college at age 20 with nearly $10,000 from his childhood businesses. -
The Makings of a Millionaire
In 1956, Buffet formed the firm Buffett Partnership Ltd. in his hometown of Omaha. Utilizing the techniques learned from Graham, he was successful in identifying undervalued companies and became a millionaire. One such enterprise Buffett valued was a textile company named Berkshire Hathaway. He began accumulating stock in the early 1960s, and by 1965 he had assumed control of the company. -
Dissolved Buffett Partners
Dissolved the firm to focus of Berkshire Hathaway and expand by investing in media -
Director
Following Berkshire Hathaway's significant investment in Coca-Cola, Buffett became director of the company from 1989 until 2006. He has also served as director of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings, Graham Holdings Company and The Gillette Company. -
largest Charitable Donation in United States History
In June 2006, Buffett made an announcement that he would be giving his entire fortune away to charity, committing 85 percent of it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This donation became the largest act of charitable giving in United States history. In 2010, Buffett and Gates announced they had formed The Giving Pledge campaign to recruit more wealthy individuals for philanthropic causes.
