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No. 15
Donald Shiley
Inventor
Estimated net worth: $400 million
Donald Shiley made his fortune with the invention of the first artificial heart valve in 1971 - and a series of inventions to manufacture and improve the valve. With money from devices for the heart, Shiley and his wife, Darlene, have spent the past decades giving from their hearts.
In March, they set a new record for the Old Globe Theater with a $20 million donation. In January, they committed another $5 million to UC San Diego's opthalmology center, bringing their donations to UCSD close to $15 million. But UCSD was just one of the schools the Shileys have supported. They've given more than $10 million to the University of San Diego, helping...