SOURCE OF WEALTH: EqualLogic, Radnet; information technology executive
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Health, Human Services
OVERVIEW: Donald and Lynne Bulens move their philanthropy through the Bulens Family Foundation, which is not transparent and does not maintain a web presence. The family steadily supports a prep school for underprivileged youth. Another interest is health. Philanthropy largely focuses on New England. Available tax filings indicate the foundation made around $836,000 in grants in 2018 and $3.1 million from 2015 to 2018.
BACKGROUND: Donald Bulens graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology from UMass Amherst in 1978 and received his MBA from Suffolk University. Bulens began his career at New England Telephone Company and later AT&T and IBM. Bulens left IBM in 1996 to start Radnet, a competitor to Lotus. Bulens sold EqualLogic to Dell for $1.4 billion and was CEO of Unidesk, an innovator in virtual desktop management. He’s currently an investor and advisor to early-stage companies.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Bulens joined the board of trustees of Bellesini Academy, “an independent, tuition-free Catholic middle school providing quality scholarship education to deserving boys and girls in grades five through eight” at the start of the decade, and currently serves as chair. The family strongly supports Bellesini Academy.
Bulens also supports his alma maters UMass Amherst and Suffolk University. Other grantees have included Big Brothers Big Sisters, Pike School, Year Up, and Proctor Academy.
HEALTH: Grantees have included AIDS Action Committee, Alzheimer’s Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Boston Children’s Hospital, which has received particularly strong support of late. It’s worth noting that Bulens is an advisor to OPENPediatrics, a project of the hospital.
HUMAN SERVICES: The family has also supported organizations like Family Service in Lawrence, MA and Raymond Food Pantry in Maine. Bulens is on the board of Service Club of Andover a “group of local residents and business leaders who strive to make a difference in the lives of youth in our community and friends with special needs.”
OTHER: Bulens and Lynne have also supported places like Andover Historical Society and Loon Echo Land Trust.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the couple’s strongly regional giving to continue.
CONTACT:
The Bulens Family Foundation
93 Worcester St.
Wellesley, MA 02481
LINK:
