Gregory C. Carr
Encyclopedia
Gregory C. Carr is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. His most notable philanthropic venture is the restoration of Mozambique
's famous Gorongosa National Park
, which has been ravaged by civil war and environmental destruction. He has pledged $40 million over 30 years to rebuild the park as a source of tourist income for the local population.
, in 1959. His parents are Taylor H. and Betty O. Carr. He attended Utah State University
as an undergraduate, majoring in history, and received a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
in 1986. Later that year, inspired by the breakup of AT&T
, he and Scott Jones
founded Boston Technology, one of the earlier firms to sell voice mail systems to telephone companies. Carr served as the chair of Boston Technology until it was purchased by Comverse Technology
(CMVT) in 1998 .
From 1996-1998 he was chair of Prodigy, an early global Internet service provider
(ISP). He also co-founded Africa Online in 1996 and served as its chair until 1998.
In 1998 Carr resigned from his for-profit boards and dedicated himself to humanitarian activities. He formed the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
at Harvard University in 1999. Through research and teaching, the Carr Center seeks to make human rights principles central to the formulation of good public policy in the United States and throughout the world.
In 1999 he also founded the Gregory C. Carr Foundation, a non-profit organization through which he has been involved in various projects including the Gorongosa Restoration Project. The Carr Foundation is currently committed to the 30 year restoration of Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique as well as to the sustainable development of the communities surrounding the park. The park and Mr. Carr's efforts were highlighted on the CBS News program "60 Minutes" on October 26, 2008.
Carr has been active in human rights activities in his home state of Idaho. In 2000, he co-founded the Museum of Idaho located in Idaho Falls, and in 2001 he opened the Market Theater in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The theater was known for showcasing small independent and experimental productions. In 2001 he purchased the compound of the Aryan Nations
, near Hayden Lake, Idaho, after it was seized by court order following a successful lawsuit brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center
against the Nazi group. The land, donated to North Idaho College, is now a peace park.
Carr currently sits on the board of Internews
, a non-profit organization advancing independent journalism.
He is a close friend of biologist E. O. Wilson
.
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
's famous Gorongosa National Park
Gorongosa National Park
Gorongosa National Park is at the southern end of the Great African Rift Valley in the heart of central Mozambique. The 3,770 square kilometer park includes the valley floor and parts of surrounding plateaus...
, which has been ravaged by civil war and environmental destruction. He has pledged $40 million over 30 years to rebuild the park as a source of tourist income for the local population.
Biography
Greg Carr was born in Idaho Falls, IdahoIdaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, in 1959. His parents are Taylor H. and Betty O. Carr. He attended Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
as an undergraduate, majoring in history, and received a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
in 1986. Later that year, inspired by the breakup of AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, he and Scott Jones
Scott A. Jones
Scott A. Jones is an American inventor. Scott graduated with honors from Indiana University in 1984, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in computer science.-1980s:He is known for his work in the early days of voicemail...
founded Boston Technology, one of the earlier firms to sell voice mail systems to telephone companies. Carr served as the chair of Boston Technology until it was purchased by Comverse Technology
Comverse Technology
Comverse Technology, Inc. , originally founded in Israel, is a technology company located in Woodbury, New York in the United States, that develops and markets telecommunications software. The company focuses on providing value-added services to telecommunication service providers, in particular to...
(CMVT) in 1998 .
From 1996-1998 he was chair of Prodigy, an early global Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
(ISP). He also co-founded Africa Online in 1996 and served as its chair until 1998.
In 1998 Carr resigned from his for-profit boards and dedicated himself to humanitarian activities. He formed the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
The Carr Center for Human Rights Policy is research center concerned with human rights, and is located at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University....
at Harvard University in 1999. Through research and teaching, the Carr Center seeks to make human rights principles central to the formulation of good public policy in the United States and throughout the world.
In 1999 he also founded the Gregory C. Carr Foundation, a non-profit organization through which he has been involved in various projects including the Gorongosa Restoration Project. The Carr Foundation is currently committed to the 30 year restoration of Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique as well as to the sustainable development of the communities surrounding the park. The park and Mr. Carr's efforts were highlighted on the CBS News program "60 Minutes" on October 26, 2008.
Carr has been active in human rights activities in his home state of Idaho. In 2000, he co-founded the Museum of Idaho located in Idaho Falls, and in 2001 he opened the Market Theater in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The theater was known for showcasing small independent and experimental productions. In 2001 he purchased the compound of the Aryan Nations
Aryan Nations
Aryan Nations is a white supremacist religious organization originally based in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Richard Girnt Butler founded the group in the 1970s, as an arm of the Christian Identity organization Church of Jesus Christ–Christian...
, near Hayden Lake, Idaho, after it was seized by court order following a successful lawsuit brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
against the Nazi group. The land, donated to North Idaho College, is now a peace park.
Carr currently sits on the board of Internews
Internews
Internews Network is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to empower local media worldwide to give people the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard...
, a non-profit organization advancing independent journalism.
He is a close friend of biologist E. O. Wilson
E. O. Wilson
Edward Osborne Wilson is an American biologist, researcher , theorist , naturalist and author. His biological specialty is myrmecology, the study of ants....
.
External links
- Carr Foundation official site
- Gorongosa National Park site
- “The Monkey and the Fish”, Philip GourevitchPhilip GourevitchPhilip Gourevitch , an American author and journalist, is a longtime staff writer for The New Yorker and the former editor of The Paris Review. His most recent book is The Ballad of Abu Ghraib , an account of Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison under the American occupation...
,The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, December 21, 2009, p. 98