Investing in the pursuit of cures

“One of the most interesting things about philanthropy is the people you can meet,” says Rick Stone, J.D. In Rick’s experience, getting to know the scientists at Scripps Research has been extremely rewarding.

“These are highly intelligent people solving the most complicated scientific problems.” However, it’s not just the researchers’ intelligence that he appreciates but also their accessibility and down-to-earth nature.

Science involves selfless people spending their lives curing the problems that everyone else wishes would be cured,” says Rick. “It’s their effort, their time, their concern that makes society better and that will cure the diseases we all encounter today.

Rick is the CEO and co-founder of the Palm Beach Investment Research Group (PBIRG), a not-for-profit organization committed to community-oriented investments. Whether volunteering his time to teach pre-law programs at local schools, sponsoring area sports programs, supporting reintegration housing for individuals recently released from incarceration, or investing in basic science, Rick is constantly looking for ways to improve his community and society as a whole.

Having earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School and built a successful legal career, Rick says his legal background informs how he approaches his philanthropy, looking for reputable organizations to support. He initially became connected with Scripps Research when his son enrolled in a summer internship on campus. Today, Rick invests in Scripps Research because he appreciates the critical need for better, more effective scientific research.

“Scientific research today is turning what once were death sentences into chronic illnesses and then, into treatable illnesses. And that’s greatly enhancing everyone’s lives.”

Rick’s passion for basic scientific research is contagious. “You can see tangible results—new drugs, new therapies,” he says. “Sometimes, they work, but sometimes, they don’t. Still, you can see how they are going to make a change in the entire population.” With his initial gift to Scripps Research, Rick chose to support diabetes research because of its potential to have an immense impact worldwide. In 2021, Rick and PBIRG joined fellow philanthropist David Nicholson to generously match donations up to $150,000, tripling support for our scientists as a part of Scripps Research’s “I Love Science” project.

Rick encourages donors not to be intimidated by Scripps Research’s prestige. “You can give big or small,” he says. “I think it’s important that people understand even smaller gifts are essential to scientific research projects.” Investing in Scripps Research means being one part of a larger community, and every gift—no matter the size—has the power to make a difference.