Larry Elison: Visionary or modern day Ghengis Khan?

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jul 27, 2003 | by Tim Simmers - BUSINESS WRITER

But while he's known for his cutthroat competitiveness, bad boy reputation and in his earlier days a playboy lifestyle, Ellison has another side to the image on the Peninsula.In the community where he employs more than 8,000 workers, most of them in the glistening mirrored towers of Oracle's Redwood Shores headquarters along Highway 101, he and his company quietly give back to the community.

To be sure he's not breaking the bank of his $16.6 billion fortune as measured by Forbes magazine earlier this year. But through Oracle's giving program he's helping underprivileged youngsters, transportation improvement and the building of a library. By contrast, some corporate chiefs don't give anything back. Ellison, however, is not the one who personally delivers the goods to the community.

His company recently kicked off the Measure A transportation funding campaign to extend the half-cent sales tax in San Mateo County with a $200,000 pledge. The measure has helped build auxiliary lanes on Highway 101 in Belmont and Redwood City, near where his employees often create gridlock outside the Oracle campus that sits at the site once occupied by Marine World.

"Larry Ellison has come up big on Measure A," said Mike Nevin, San Mateo County supervisor. "I applaud him, because government can't do it alone." Nevin believes Oracle's willingness to deliver $200,000 could cause a domino effect, bringing more businesses to the investment table.

Ellison's company will also donate $300,000 for the new San Mateo Public library, which is expected to open in 2005.

The gift will help build a comprehensive collection of science and math books and 10 multimedia computer workstations with software designed to challenge children to explore science, language and technology.

Ellison's company also helped deliver the Shores Daycare Center for local residents, and assists families seeking information on quality child care. Oracle employees also have helped renovate local non-profit childcare facilities.

Randy Smith, Oracle's vice president of real estate, is the chairman of Samceda, San Mateo County's voice of business that targets the county's housing and transportation dilemmas.

"Larry Ellison and Oracle have proven to be great community partners," said Deberah Bringelson, chief executive of Samceda. "They're very committed to traffic."

Ellison's company gift-giving programs have also given $50,000 a year for five years to the Redwood Shores, Belmont and San Carlos schools. It has worked with the South County Fire Authority to promote children's education, and gave a grant to help build a Police Academy at College of San Mateo.

The program also donates $5,000 in annual scholarship funds at the Sequoia Awards to reward students who volunteer time in the community.

Oracle also helps fund the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, which sends youngsters with economic needs on discovery voyages in the Bay, and it provides buddies for at-risk kids through Friends for Youth.

Jeff Rutherford, president of the Marine Science Institute, said Oracle has been his biggest contributor. "A lot of these kids can't afford to come on our ships to do our science projects."