Jon Stryker, an heir to the Kalamazoo, Mich.-based medical device giant Stryker Corp., is the top philanthropist in the state of Michigan since 2000, according to a report from The Chronical of Philanthropy.
Mr. Stryker's grandfather Homer Stryker, MD, invented a mobile hospital bed and founded the company, which is now worth billions. Mr. Stryker has donated around $336.3 million to charitable endeavors in the state, primarily focused on the Arcus Foundation, which he founded in 2000.
The foundation's mission is to combat discrimination based on an individual's sexual orientation and gender identity as well as supporting the survival of great apes. Arcus Foundation's board of directors are based in both the U.S. and U.K., and focuses on respecting diversity among people and in nature.
He also funded the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College and donated both land and money to the Kalamazoo Nature Center in 2015 for an expansion, according to Forbes. His net worth is currently $2.7 billion.
Mr. Stryker is a founding board member of the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservatory in northern Kenya, Save the Chimps in Ft. Pierce, Fla., and Greenleaf Trust bank in Kalamazoo.