Billionaire Warren Buffett celebrated his 92nd birthday last week in part by working with a nonprofit group that provides educational, cultural and recreational programs to inspire girls ages 5 to 18 to be bold, strong and smart.
Buffett, whose Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway's commercial real estate involvement includes its Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Elite Real Estate brokerage, part ownership in brokerage Berkadia and a $1.44 billion loan to Seritage Growth Properties, authorized the creation of a portrait of him with some of his inspirational quotes. He also signed the piece.
The wall art was created using Motiva, a high-tech method for showcasing art by using a digital display that incorporates a series of motivational quotations that change while it's viewed.
Motiva auctioned the portrait via an online bidding process that ended Aug. 30, Buffett's birthday. The Warren Buffett Motiva fetched a price of $75,100, with proceeds going to Girls Inc. of Omaha. The nonprofit agency also got the artwork because the winning bidder, who chose to remain anonymous, donated it to the group.
"Women make me optimistic about America" is one of Buffett's quotes incorporated in the artwork.
Buffett's first wife, the late Susan T. Buffett, was an early supporter of Girls Inc., and his daughter Susie Buffett has served on the Girls Inc. local and national boards.