Early Life
Gordon Peter Getty was born on December 20, 1933, in Los Angeles, California. He is the fourth child of J. Paul Getty, a prominent oil tycoon, and Ann Rork Light. He spent his childhood in San Francisco, attending St. Ignatius College Preparatory and the University of San Francisco. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Rise to Success
After his father's death in 1976, Gordon Getty assumed control of a $2 billion trust. He joined the oil business to please his father. He later orchestrated the sale of Getty Oil to Texaco in 1986 for $10.1 billion. The sale and inheritance made him one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Key Business Strategies
As the sole trustee of the Getty Oil trust, Gordon Getty made a controversial move to sell the company to Texaco. He also broke up the Getty Oil trust into six separate trusts. In 2002, he founded ReFlow, a company that temporarily purchases shares in mutual funds. Getty has had Vallejo Investments manage his assets, which is a 'family office' that consists of lawyers, accountants, and money managers.
Philanthropy
Gordon Getty is known for his philanthropy, including support for the performing arts, music, and museum projects. He has donated over $450 million to his philanthropic foundation since 2008. He also gave $15 million for the establishment of the Ann Getty Institute of Art and Design at the University of San Francisco.
