Investing for a Better Tomorrow

Investing has never been just about money. While it's true you want more money from your investments, the "why" is much more profound. Your reasons are as unique as you—your hopes, your dreams, your loved ones, maybe even a cause you care deeply about. Can it mean even more?

At American Century Investments, we know investing can have a significant human impact because we live it every day. The same fervor and commitment we put into our clients' financial success go into supporting breakthrough medical research for every person on this planet.

How is that possible? To understand, you’ll need to know a little about the passion and audacity of our founders, James E. "Jim" and Virginia Stowers.

Passion for People and Financial Independence

Jim and Virginia Stowers had lifelong goals of helping people. Early on, both pursued careers in the medical profession. While Virginia went on to have a successful nursing career, Jim’s path took a different course, but also amazingly came full circle.

Jim decided the medical field was not for him (not yet, anyway) and set off on a course in the mutual fund business. Not long after, he started American Century Investments in 1958, then called Twentieth Century Investors, Inc.

The firm began humbly with two funds, three employees, 24 clients and $100,000 in borrowed seed money. The goal? To help people become financially independent.

Jim also had a different idea about what would make the company successful: clients’ success. In fact, he believed it was the only way. Today, we still use the same measure to evaluate ourselves.

Success and Inspiration Come Full Circle

Jim's belief that the firm would be successful if he helped others worked. During the next four decades, American Century Investments grew with new funds, new investment vehicles, hundreds of thousands of investors and billions in assets managed.

However, amid phenomenal success, life and family matters tend to find their way to the forefront. That was true for Jim and Virginia.

Both faced serious cancer diagnoses. Although each was successfully treated, the experiences reignited their passion for helping people. Not long afterward, they decided to do something about it in a big way. Some would call it audacious. We do!

And here’s the audacious part: The Stowerses pledged nearly all their personal wealth and ownership stake in American Century Investments to make their vision a reality. Their endowment of $2.2 billion from their personal fortune (while still living) ranks among the top philanthropic acts of our time.

Audacity Inspires a New Purpose—for Us and You

Jim and Viriginia’s generous gift also gave American Century one of the most unique owners in the financial services industry: The Stowers Institute. But that’s not all.

This ownership structure allows us to support life-changing medical research ongoing through dividend payments. Every year, over 40% of our profits are directed to helping defeat diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. To date, those payments have totaled over $2 billion.*

But that hasn’t changed our original purpose. Our responsibility to help clients is stronger than ever. We’re not alone in this fight for a disease-free world. By investing with us, our clients also share in the hope for a better and healthier tomorrow.

Fulfilling the Purpose

Today, the Stowers Institute is home to over 500 scientists and researchers, all working toward making a significant contribution to humanity through medical research.

Their work is motivated by the desire to understand the secrets of life and improve the quality of life through innovative science.

Even more incredible, Jim and Virginia's gift allows the scientists to focus all their efforts on research rather than grant writing and fundraising. Understanding this unique connection between how we manage money and support finding causes and cures for devastating diseases inspires us every single day.

Living Our Purpose

When you have two powerful missions—helping people with their financial futures and making a difference for every person on this planet through medical research—you tend to work differently. For us, it means knowing that how we invest, the decisions we make and how we interact matter—not just for our clients but for the whole world.

It also motivates us to follow in the footsteps of our founder. The people managing your money, answering the phones and servicing your account not only care about your success but are inspired to give back. You’ll find many of our employees giving their time and money to impact others in their communities and all over the world.

Investing for a Healthier World

Our story could have been like any other financial firm. Fortunately for us, life inspired Jim and Virginia to help others in an unheard-of way.

The Stowerses' giving lifestyle and the understanding that investing can have a greater purpose still inspire us. We hope they also inspire you, knowing that investing with us means investing in a healthier world for everyone.