Amos Hostetter Jr.
Amos Barr Hostetter Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 12, 1937 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder and former CEO of Continental Cablevision, chairman of C-SPAN, chairman of Pilot House Associates, LLC |
| Notable work | Continental Cablevision |
Amos Barr Hostetter Jr. (born January 12, 1937) is an American entrepreneur known for founding, chairing, and formerly leading Continental Cablevision as CEO. By 2020, his net worth was estimated at around $3.5 billion, placing him 538th among the world's wealthiest individuals according to Forbes. Additionally, he has held the position of chairman at C-SPAN.
Early life and education
Hostetter is the son of Amos Hostetter Sr., a distinguished trader affiliated with Commodities Corporation and Hayden Stone. He completed his secondary education at the Pingry School in 1954, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Amherst College in 1958. He then earned an M.B.A. degree from Harvard University in 1961.
Career
Together with his college roommate H. Irving Grousbeck, Hostetter launched Continental Cablevision in Ohio in 1963. By the time it was acquired by US West in 1996, it had become the largest privately held cable company in the United States.
Hostetter presently serves as chairman of Pilot House Associates, LLC.
In 1999, he and his wife Barbara Walsh founded the Barr Foundation, which has awarded more than $710 million in grants. As of 2016, the foundation's assets totaled $1.6 billion and its philanthropic efforts primarily target the Boston area.
Personal life
Hostetter married Barbara Lynn Walsh of Lakeville, Connecticut in an Episcopal ceremony in 1982. The couple has three children: Caroline, Elizabeth, and Tripp.
In 2003, he acquired Boston’s historic Second Harrison Gray Otis House for roughly $12 million.
He holds the title of Life Trustee at Amherst College, his alma mater. Both Barbara and Amos continue to serve as trustees of the Barr Foundation, which stands as one of Massachusetts’ largest philanthropic organizations with a $1.6 billion endowment supporting arts, education, and climate-related initiatives. Hostetter has also contributed to the Lincoln Project, a super PAC led by Republicans.