There’s four seasons in Oregon: fall, winter, spring and smoke,” laments Nike cofounder Phil Knight, 85.
Speaking in August from his home in the center of the state, he estimates that because of wildfires, visibility out his windows is limited to 100 yards. “It’s the most beautiful state in the world, so to have it devastated by smoke is heartbreaking. I’ve spent a little money looking into it, and controlling these fires on the West Coast is very doable.”
A bold claim. But Knight admits there’s a task he’s finding much harder than anticipated: giving away the bulk of his $39.5 billion fortune. “Identifying smart philanthropic bets has not been as easy as I might wish, and I expect that my successors and advisors will have a lot of wood to chop when I am no longer able to source new ideas,” he muses. “I’m not in a hurry.”
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