Paul Brainerd
Paul Steven Brainerd | |
|---|---|
 Brainerd in 1986 | |
| Born | Paul Steven Brainerd November 17, 1947 Medford, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | February 15, 2026 (aged 78) |
| Occupations |
|
Paul Steven Brainerd (November 17, 1947 – February 15, 2026) was an American businessman, computer programmer and philanthropist. In 1984, he co-founded the Aldus Corporation, which released PageMaker, the first consumer-use desktop publishing software. Brainerd coined the term "desktop publishing". From 1995 on, he was involved in philanthropic efforts, including the founding of Social Ventures Partners in 1997, a global organization that connects local investors with non-profit community organizations.
Background
[edit]Brainerd was born in Medford, Oregon, to Phillip and Leta VerNetta (née Swarstley) Brainerd.[1][2][3] He attended the University of Oregon, where he received his B.A.in business administration and was the editor for the school's paper, the Oregon Daily Emerald. Following graduation, he worked at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.[4][5] He received an M.S. in journalism from the University of Minnesota.[2][4]
Brainerd died at his home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, on February 15, 2026, at the age of 78.[6]
Desktop publishing
[edit]Brainerd co-founded the publishing/printing software company Aldus in 1984.[7] The company subsequently brought PageMaker to the market.[8] Brainerd is also known for having coined the term "desktop publishing".[9][10] He stepped down from his position of president and chief executive of Aldus in 1993, ten years after its founding.[8]
Philanthropy
[edit]In 1995, Brainerd founded the Brainerd Foundation, a small family foundation that provides innovative grantmaking to Pacific Northwest communities and nonprofits to build a lasting conservation ethic at the local, state, and federal level.[11]
Brainerd founded Social Ventures Partners (SVP) in 1997. The organization works by matching philanthropists, who provide funding and mentorship, with local community organizations.[12][13][14][15] By 2017, the organization consisted of 3,500 venture philanthropists in 43 cities and nine countries.[12] The group's collective investments total more than $63 million in over 800 organizations.[12]
In 2000, Paul Brainerd founded Islandwood, an environmental learning center created to improve access to meaningful, nature-based learning experiences for the region's children. The center is located on Bainbridge Island, Washington.[16][17]
In 2018, Brainerd founded Camp Glenorchy,[18][19] an accommodation provider that operates in Glenorchy, New Zealand. Camp Glenorchy is designed, built, engineered and operated in line with the philosophy and principles of the Living Building Challenge, a sustainability standard for buildings.[20][21] The establishment of the camp was controversial with the local community.[22][23]
References
[edit]- ↑ Rosenwald, Michael S. (March 21, 2026). "Paul Brainerd Dies at 78; Pioneered Desktop Publishing With PageMaker". The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
- 1 2 Hallett, Anthony; Hallett, Diane (October 24, 1997). "Paul Brainerd (Aldus Corporation)". Entrepreneur Magazine Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs. Wiley. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-471-17536-0 – via Internet Archive.
- ↑ "VerNetta Brainerd". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. March 19, 2017. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019.
- 1 2 "Paul Brainerd '70: 1998 Hall of Achievement Inductee". University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication.
- ↑ Barber, Putnam (1999). "Introduction of Paul Brainerd". Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 28 (4): 500. doi:10.1177/0899764099284008 – via Sage Journals.
- ↑ Bishop, Todd (February 19, 2026). "PageMaker pioneer Paul Brainerd, 1947-2026: Aldus founder devoted his second chapter to the planet". GeekWire. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
- ↑ J.K. Petersen (May 29, 2002). The Telecommunications Illustrated Dictionary. CRC Press. pp. 124–. ISBN 978-1-4200-4067-8.
- 1 2 Fisher, Lawrence M. (August 31, 1993). "COMPANY NEWS; Aldus Founder to Give Up Two Jobs". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ↑ Communication, Department of Typography and Graphic. "The optimism of modernity: recovering modern reasoning in typography". www.optimism-modernity.org.uk. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ↑ Gardner, Howard (December 21, 2010). Responsibility at Work: How Leading Professionals Act (or Don't Act) Responsibly. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118047507 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "The Brainerd Foundation". Inside Philanthropy.
- 1 2 3 "To help social entrepreneurial ventures grow, SVP launches in Miami". miamiherald.
- ↑ Myerson, Allen R. (January 31, 1999). "Sharing Their Talents and Their Dollars". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ↑ "Social Venture Partners to take a deeper dive into social issues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ↑ Jane Wei-Skillern; James E. Austin; Herman Leonard; Howard Stevenson (May 24, 2007). Entrepreneurship in the Social Sector. SAGE. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-1-4129-5137-1.
- ↑ Clark, Tara Weiss and Hannah. "Spreading The Wealth". Forbes.
- ↑ "Outdoor education center losing about $1 million a year". products.kitsapsun.com.
- ↑ Roxburgh, Tracey (March 14, 2018). "US couple 'give back' with trailblazing Glenorchy camp ground". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
- ↑ Noted. "Taking the top-of-the-lake road to Glenorchy". www.noted.co.nz. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
- ↑ "How Paul Brainerd's extraordinary career went from revolutionizing publishing to empowering enviros". GeekWire. July 29, 2018.
- ↑ Roxburgh, Tracey (March 14, 2018). "US couple 'give back' with trailblazing Glenorchy camp ground". Otago Daily Times.
- ↑ "Foreign investment in the South Island: Strangers in Paradise". March 1, 2015 – via www.nzherald.co.nz.
- ↑ "Glenorchy rift 'ripping the town apart'". Stuff. February 24, 2015.