Leaving Jet-Set Lifestyle To Found Company

A great example of leaving corporate America to found an inspiring company. And since I know John, admire his work and my best friend served on his Chicago fund-raising committee, I felt it important to feature his work.

Back in the mid-1990s, John Wood was living large. As Microsoft's director of business development in China and director of marketing for the Asia-Pacific region, he was Bill Gate's point man in Asia. He traveled the world, was shuttled to meetings in chauffeured cars and wheeled, dealed and dined at four-star restaurants.

These days, Wood's meetings are held in developing countries over cups of tea with heads of villages. He left his jet-set lifestyle in 1999 to found Room to Read, a nonprofit that builds schools and libraries in developing nations.

Read more here: New Wealth, New Priorities