John Grayken

John’s Biography

John Grayken is the founder of Lone Star Funds, a global private equity firm that invests in real estate, equity, credit, corporate and other financial assets. Since Lone Star launched its first fund in 1995, it has organized 21 private equity funds with combined capital commitments totaling over $85 billion. Lone Star invests on behalf of its fund-limited partners, including pension funds for the public sector and corporate employees and retirees, in addition to foundations and endowments that support medical research, higher education and other philanthropic causes.

John is also a dedicated philanthropist and supports numerous causes, including education, medicine, hospitals and programs for addiction treatment.

John earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. John Grayken is the founder of Lone Star Funds, a global private equity firm that invests in real estate, equity, credit, corporate and other financial assets. Since Lone Star launched its first fund in 1995, it has organized 21 private equity funds with combined capital commitments totaling over $85 billion. Lone Star invests on behalf of its fund-limited partners, including pension funds for the public sector and corporate employees and retirees, in addition to foundations and endowments that support medical research, higher education and other philanthropic causes.

John is also a dedicated philanthropist and supports numerous causes, including education, medicine, hospitals and programs for addiction treatment.

John earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

John’s Newsfeed

Words Matter: Boston Medical Center Changes How We Talk and Think About Addiction

In 2017, the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center was founded, dedicated to supporting the needs of those with substance use disorder. One of the first acts of the Grayken Center was to create a pledge that asked all hospital faculty and staff to commit to changing the way they spoke about addiction.

John’s Background

Lone Star Funds

Founder

1995 - Present

Established in 1995, Lone Star has become a leading private equity firm that invests in real estate, equity, credit, corporate, and other financial assets. The firm has organized 20 private equity funds with aggregate capital commitments totalling approximately $85 billion.

Other Business Interests

The Wharton School | University of Pennsylvania

Donor

Philadelphia, PA, USA

John's gift in 2017 to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania established the Grayken Program in International Real Estate, a major asset to the School’s Samuel Zell and Robert Lurie Real Estate Center and the Real Estate Department. The Grayken Program funds academic programming for students; industry events and outreach; and faculty research.

Philanthropy

Boston Medical Centre (BMC)

Donor

Boston, MA, USA

John and Eilene Grayken donated $25 million to create the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine at Boston Medical Center. The Grayken Center for Addiction is scaling successful programs locally and nationally, and expanding access to treatment and recovery. The Center serves as the umbrella for all of BMC's work in addiction and is a national resource for revolutionizing addiction treatment.

South Shore Health

Donor

Quincy, MA, USA

In 2019, John and his wife Eilene donated $10 million to the South Shore Health System to launch the Grayken Center for Treatment, a collection of substance use disorder and behavioral health services and initiatives. The center also supports women who are planning to get pregnant, are pregnant, or are post-partum with their behavioral health and substance use disorder needs.

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Interviews

Grayken: The man behind the mandate

Mar 2022

John Grayken discusses his extensive career in the private equity real estate space and shares some of his core investing principles.

Publications

New program to expand the scope of Wharton's real estate department

Donor

Apr 2017

Philadelphia, PA, USA

The new Grayken Program in International Real Estate, which will be housed in the Samuel Zell and Robert Lurie Real Estate Center, was established with gifts by UPenn alumnus, John Grayken. He is proud of the work done by the Center’s faculty and programs, including the annual London event. He looks forward to seeing Joe Gyourko and his team expand the program and Wharton’s global presence.

Boston Medical Center Receives $25 Million Gift for Addiction Treatment

Donor

Mar 2017

Boston, NY, USA

The Boston Medical Center said the gift from John Grayken and his wife, Eilene, is its largest ever. The $25 million donation will help Boston Medical Center continue its work in fighting addiction and the deadly opioid crisis that, according to the hospital, is the most serious public health crisis of our time. The gift will also fund a new center focused on research, treatment and prevention.