With the recent addition of 10 individuals and families, the global Giving Pledge initiative created by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates has grown to 137 signatories.

Launched in 2010, the Giving Pledge is a multigenerational endeavor that encourages wealthy people to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

The 137 pledgers range in age from 31 to 99, and represent 14 countries. In the U.S, they are residents of 26 states and the District of Columbia, with the largest contingents from New York and California.

"When we started the Giving Pledge five years ago, we had no idea we'd get this many people to come together," Bill Gates said in a statement. "It has really grown, first in the U.S. but more recently all over the world."

Gates said the hope was to intensify philanthropy and encourage people to start their giving at a younger age.

"It's exciting to see people becoming bolder and more thoughtful in their giving."

Following are the 10 new pledgers, with information provided by the Foundation Center's GlassPockets service:

Judy Faulkner

Joined the Giving Pledge: May 7

Estimated net worth: $2.6 billion

Forbes rank: 236

Industry: Health care information technology

Born: 1944

Residence: Madison, Wisconsin

Related foundations: Epic Heritage Foundation

Giving interests: Health care

 

Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman

Joined the Giving Pledge: May 8

Estimated net worth: Not available

Forbes rank: Not ranked

Industry: Real estate investment

Born: Diane Troderman — not available; Harold Grinspoon — 1929

Residence: Springfield, Massachusetts

Giving interests: Jewish identity and community, Jewish organizations

 

Brad and Kim Keywell

Joined the Giving Pledge: June 2

Estimated net worth: Not available

Forbes rank: Not ranked

Industry: Internet consumer services

Born: Brad Keywell — 1969; Kim Keywell — 1969

Residence: Glencoe, Illinois

Related foundations: Keywell Foundation

Giving interests: Child advocacy, education, entrepreneurship, international affairs, urban revitalization

 

Ruth and Bill Scott

Joined the Giving Pledge: March 2

Estimated net worth: Not available

Forbes rank: Not ranked

Industry: Investment, banking finance, insurance

Born: Ruth Scott — not available; Bill Scott — 1931

Residence: Omaha, Nebraska

Related foundations: William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation

 

Sunny and Sherly Varkey

Joined the Giving Pledge: June 2

Estimated net worth: $2.1 billion

Forbes rank: 949

Industry: Education services

Born: Sherly Varkey — not available; Sunny Varkey — 1957

Residence: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Related foundations: Varkey Foundation

Giving interests: Education

 

Gordon and Llura Gund

Joined the Giving Pledge: Oct. 14, 2014

Estimated net worth: Information not available

Forbes rank: Not ranked

Industry: Gordon Gund is chief executive of Gund Investment Corp., former owner of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League and currently a minority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association, which have played in Gund Arena since 1995. Gordon Gund became blind in 1970, and established the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation (now the Foundation Fighting Blindness) in 1971. Llura Gund is president of Gund Investment Corp. 

Born: Llura Gund — not available; Gordon Gund — 1939

Residence: Princeton, New Jersey

Giving interests: Arts/culture, blindness, medical research

 

Elie and Susy Horn

Joined the Giving Pledge: April 2

Estimated net worth: $1.9 billion

Forbes rank: Not ranked

Industry: Elie Horn is the Syrian-born Brazilian Jewish founder of Cyrela Brazil Realty, Brazil's largest real estate company. Through their foundation, Horn and his wife, Susy, have supported Jewish communities and causes around the world, including in Israel, Korea and Belarus.

Born: Susy Horn — not available; Elie Horn — 1944

Residence: São Paulo, Brazil

Related Foundations: Elie and Susy Horn Foundation (Brazil)

 

John W. Jordan II (Jay)

Joined the Giving Pledge: Dec. 3, 2014

Estimated net worth: $290 million

Forbes rank: Not ranked

Industry: Private equity

Born: 1950

Residence: New York City

Giving interests: Arts/culture, Chicago, education

 

Hamdi Ulukaya

Joined the Giving Pledge: May 28

Estimated net worth: $1.4 billion

Forbes rank: 1,386

Industry: Turkish-born Hamdi Ulukaya is the founder of Chobani, the largest Greek yogurt manufacturer in the U.S. Ulukaya has previously directed 10% of his company's profits into the Chobani Foundation, promoting food accessibility and entrepreneurship.

Born: 1972

Residence: Norwich, New York

Related foundations: Tent Foundation; Chobani Foundation

Giving interests: Down syndrome, entrepreneurship, food accessibility, refugees

 

Sir Ian Wood

Joined the Giving Pledge: Feb. 13

Estimated net worth: $1.8 billion

Forbes rank: 32

Industry: Sir Ian Wood is the retired head of the Wood Group, a multinational oil and gas services company based in Aberdeen, Scotland, as well as JW Holdings, the U.K.'s largest fishing and fishing services business. Since 2004, he has served as chancellor of Robert Gordon University, from which he graduated in 1964.

Born: 1942

Residence: Aberdeen, U.K.

Related foundations: The Wood Foundation (Scotland)

Giving interests: Africa, economic development, education, Scotland, United Kingdom, youth development

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