Source: www.businessweek.com
UNITED STATES, November 2010, by Joel Stein: A growing number of America’s most powerful bosses have become vegan. Steve Wynn, Mort Zuckerman, Russell Simmons, and Bill Clinton are now using tempeh to assert their superiority. As are Ford Executive Chairman of the Board Bill Ford, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, venture capitalist Joi Ito, Whole Foods Market, Chief Executive Officer John Mackey, and Mike Tyson.
“CEOs are smart. There just hadn’t been enough exposure for people to glom onto this trend,” says Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “The information is everywhere now. Instead of ‘Better buy this blue chip,’ it’s ‘Better eat vegan.'”
For some, veganism is a moral imperative. In 2000, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone went to visit Farm Sanctuary, an animal rescue organization with a location in upstate New York, and returned a vegan. Farm Sanctuary’s board includes a number of powerful vegans, including Tom Anderson, a former partner at McKinsey and CEO of college financing company Upromise. As an associate at McKinsey, he kept his veganism quiet for fear it would make him seem like a hippie. However, as he’s climbed the corporate ladder, he’s become increasingly eager to share the gospel of his eating ethics. In fact, he’s bonded with a few executives over their shared anti-meat-and-dairy proclivities.
Veganism also counts among its newest converts ex-NBA star John Salley, Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, former National Hockey League brawler Georges Laraque, professional poker player Daniel Negreanu, mixed martial artist Luke Cummo, and, less recently, pop star Madonna.