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Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation
The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation was established in 1999 by Dr. Peter Buck and Carmen Lucia Buck. Peter Buck built his wealth as co-founder of Subway...
Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation
The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation was established in 1999 by Dr. Peter Buck and Carmen Lucia Buck. Peter Buck built his wealth as co-founder of Subway before his death in 2021. His sons Christopher Buck and William Buck now serve on the board, with Christopher as chair. The foundation allocates capital across education grants, conservation land, and healthcare initiatives. Asset classes include timberland, agricultural properties, commercial real estate, and select public equities. Confirmed holdings encompass Tall Timber Trust in Aroostook, Penobscot, and Piscataquis Counties, Maine, plus Danbury Family Farm and Camp Candlewood in Connecticut. Geographic reach centers on the Northeast United States with one affiliated philanthropic vehicle in Brazil. The foundation has also held a position in UniCredit S.p.A. and committed to Private Equity Strategic Opportunities Fund V. Fourteen professionals operate from the New York headquarters and the PCW Management Center in Mystic, Connecticut. The foundation maintains a 9-acre lakefront property and a 25,000-square-foot car collection warehouse in Danbury. January 2024 participation in the Croner Compensation Survey of Foundations provided benchmarking data on staff compensation. Adjacent vehicles include Fundação Carmem Lucia and Retro Report, the nonprofit news organization founded by Christopher Buck. Governance separates the foundation from the family's operating businesses and personal collections through PCW Management Center as dedicated investment advisor. Direct ownership of land and art assets, rather than fund commitments, forms the core structural distinction from typical grant-making entities.
General information
Firm type
Private Foundation
Year founded
1999
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
633 Third Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY, United States
Principals
Christopher Buck
Board Chair
William Buck
Board Member
D. Ben Benoit
CFO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation?
Christopher Buck serves as Board Chair. D. Ben Benoit acts as CFO and president of PCW Management Center, the family's investment advisor since 2007. William Buck sits on the board.
How does the foundation source proprietary deal flow?
Sourcing occurs through direct relationships with education nonprofits and land managers in the Northeast. PCW Management Center and LandVest handle real-asset acquisitions. Morgan Stanley provides additional advisory input since 2016.
Does the foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Both structures appear. It holds a commitment to Private Equity Strategic Opportunities Fund V and maintains direct ownership of timberland, farms, and commercial properties through PCW Management Center entities.
What investment stages does the foundation typically target?
Grant activity targets established K-12 operators such as KIPP and Achievement First. Real-asset acquisitions focus on existing working forests and family-use properties rather than development-stage investments.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Wealth originated from Peter Buck's 50 percent stake in Subway, sold to Roark Capital. Proceeds flow through family trusts into the foundation and PCW Management Center vehicles.
Does the foundation maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation operates alongside Fundação Carmem Lucia in Brazil. Retro Report receives separate grant support as a distinct nonprofit founded by Christopher Buck.
What is the foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Limited evidence exists of co-investments. The single recorded private equity fund commitment sits alongside direct real-asset holdings managed internally through PCW Management Center.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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