Sir John (Marks) Templeton - Biography

Investment counsellor and philanthropist, born in Winchester, Tennessee, USA. He studied at Yale and went as a Rhodes Scholar to Balliol College, Oxford. He became an executive with a petroleum prospecting firm, the National Geophysical Co of Dallas and New York (1937–40), and formed his own investment house, Templeton, Dobbrow & Vance, Inc (1940–65). He then established Templeton Growth Fund, and in ensuing years, several other large international investment funds. Having made a large fortune, he increasingly gave his money and energies to various worthwhile organizations and causes. Originally a Presbyterian, he became especially interested in promoting ecumenical dialogue among all the world's religions. In addition to donating money and support to various religious institutions, in 1972 he initiated the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, regarded as the Nobel Prize for those who have contributed the most to religious life. As well as many articles in financial and religious journals, he wrote several books, including The Humble Approach (1982) and Riches for the Mind and Spirit (1990). In 1987 he accepted a British knighthood, and he made the Bahamas his legal residence.

Sir John Marks Templeton (born 29 November 1912) is a stock investor, businessman and philanthropist.

Biography

Templeton was born in the town of Winchester, Tennessee.

He married the former Judith Folk in 1937 and the couple had three children;

He is a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church. He was a trustee on the board of Princeton Theological Seminary, the largest Presbyterian seminary, for 42 years and served as its chair for 12 years.

Templeton became a billionaire by pioneering the use of globally diversified mutual funds. He established the Templeton Growth, Ltd.

Templeton became a philanthropist, he established

the John Templeton Foundation; the Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities in 1972. the Templeton Library in Sewanee, Tennessee.

He was created a Knight Bachelor in 1987 for his philanthropic efforts.