Farmer Howard Buffett Gets Spotlight in Primetime
By: Alex Crippen | Executive Producer
Howard Buffett, Warren's oldest son, was the subject of an in-depth profile on the CBS News program 60 Minutes over the weekend.
He's shown as a hands-on Nebraska farmer who likes to harvest his own crops.
CBS Correspondent Leslie Stahl also shows Howard as a philathropist. His foundation, fueled by Berkshire Hathaway stock, spends $50 million per year to fight hunger around the world.
The WSJ's Deal Journal blog notes that in his CBS interview Howard disagrees with the Gates Foundation's focus on high-tech farming techniques. Still, says Howard, Bill Gates "is the smartest guy in the world, next to my dad."
In the segment, Stahl talks a lot about how Howard has been endorsed by his father to be Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway after Warren dies. That's generated some headlines, but it's not news. Warren has been saying for years now that he wants Howard to be the next Berkshire Chairman to guard its culture. The key question, still not answered, is who will be Berkshire's next CEO and chief investment picker.
Along with the segment, embedded below, 60 Minutes also has some "web-extra" clips: Buffett's Farming Crusade(Howard talks about why "plow" is not one of his favorite words), and Why Howie? (Warren talks about why he wants Howard to succeed him as Chairman.)
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