# Shear Family Foundation

Shear Family Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Pittsburgh, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Pittsburgh, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- **Assets under management:** Over $225 million (Altss estimate)

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Shear Family Foundation was established by Herbert and Barbara Shear, stewarding wealth generated from GENCO, the third-party logistics and reverse-logistics company Herbert founded. The foundation's grant-making concentrates on education, human services, and volunteerism, with a pronounced geographic tilt toward communities in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Illinois. The family's involvement extends deep into finance; Neal Shear, a family member, formerly served as Global Head of Securities at Morgan Stanley and later as a partner at Silverpeak, bringing institutional markets experience to the family's investment thinking. The foundation deploys capital across venture-stage private equity, targeting sectors that align with the family's operational background, including transport, technology, and distribution. The investment strategy does not operate through a separate branded investment office; the foundation itself and family members appear to manage allocations directly or through external fund commitments. The foundation lists Herbert S. Shear as founder and Barbara S. Shear as president. Gerald A. Shear serves as secretary and director, while John A. Shear acts as treasurer and director. The family participates in high-level philanthropic networks, including the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way in Palm Beach and the Carnegie Patrons Circle supporting Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The foundation also supports cultural institutions such as the Aspen Art Museum. The Shear Family Foundation operates with the structural simplicity of a private foundation rather than a formalized single-family office. There is no separate investment management entity, no publicly disclosed deal pipeline, and no external co-investor club. Grant-making and direct venture investing flow through the same vehicle, giving the family a consolidated control mechanism that differs markedly from the proliferating independent family offices managing third-party capital.

## Sectors

- Enterprise Software
- Transportation & Logistics
- Education
- Human Services

## People

- Herbert S. Shear — Founder
- Barbara S. Shear — President and Founder
- Gerald A. Shear — Secretary and Director
- John A. Shear — Treasurer and Director
- Neal Shear — Family Member

## Questions

### What is the origin of the Shear family's wealth?

The wealth originates from GENCO, a third-party logistics and reverse-logistics company founded by Herbert S. Shear. GENCO was acquired by FedEx in 2015 for $1.4 billion, as confirmed by public announcements from FedEx and multiple financial news outlets at the time.

### Where does the Shear Family Foundation direct its grant-making?

The foundation focuses its philanthropy on education, human services, and voluntarism. Geographic emphasis falls on Pennsylvania (the family's base), Florida (where the Shears maintain a residence in Palm Beach), and Illinois, as reflected in public grant databases and foundation records.

## Related profiles

- [The Collis Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/the-collis-foundation)
- [Boston Museum of Science](https://altss.com/profile/boston-museum-of-science)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/shear-family-foundation-inc

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