Noel Perry has been a leader in the worlds of philanthropy and private investment. His work in these fields has made him an important member of the California and Santa Clara communities, particularly when it comes to research about the California environment and economy and socially-minded investments. In addition, Perry has been a long-standing member of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics community as well, lending his expertise and valuable knowledge to the Advisory Board.
Perry first came into contact with the Ethics Center through his work as a sponsor of the Architects of Peace Foundation, a project dediated to highlighting world leaders and the positive impact they have left on their communities. An exposition of the project’s portraits now hangs in the hallway outside of the Ethics Center’s offices, a result of the work done by Kirk Hanson and the Architects of Peace team. After funding an Architects of Peace show at Stanford University, Perry made a connection with Kirk Hanson, former director of the Ethics Center. As Hanson explained the mission and goals of the Ethics Center to Perry, it became clear that “those were goals [he] wanted to support and encourage.”
Perry served on the Advisory Board for over ten years, before transitioning out of the role to make room for new participants. He then returned recently when the opportunity presented itself to resume his contributions. Perry considers himself lucky to be a longstanding part of the Ethics Center community, saying, “I have always been a firm believer in the importance of ethics.” Perry emphasized the importance of the Ethics Center in the face of the growing challenge of internet and technology ethics. For Perry, the Ethics Center’s work is critical as it not only addresses the multitude of ethical questions that arise from social media, but also as it addresses new questions as they appear. The current and contemporary nature of the Ethics Center’s work is something that Perry highlights as a hallmark of its effectiveness.
As someone who greatly values ethically and morally conscious missions, Perry is no stranger to the mission of the Ethics Center. As he says it, “service has always been a part of my life.” Perry is the founder of Next 10, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that educates and empowers Californians to improve the state’s future. He also founded Baccharis Capital Inc., a private venture capital fund. Both of these examples highlight the way in which Perry views what he calls the “new investing world.” As he sees it, “ethics has never been more important.” “We need to be working with the truth as we conduct our business in every industry,” says Perry.
In Perry’s eyes, the Ethics Center is an integral part of the field of ethics, especially due to its combination of academic work and practical application. Both the current output of the Ethics Center’s staff and the student fellows earn particular praise from Perry. The work done by the focus area directors help illuminate current perspectives on ethical issues, and their writings help guide leaders towards the best practices in many situations. For Perry, these resources are what makes the Ethics Center shine, and he is proud to sit on the Ethics Center Advisory Board.