Steve Jordon, Omaha World-Herald staff writer reports, "Buffett was in Newtown, Pa., Saturday to help honor fellow philanthropist Barbara Dodd Anderson, a longtime friend and daughter of the late David Dodd, a Columbia University economist who was a mentor and friend to Buffett 50 years ago."
 
"With Benjamin Graham, Dodd co-authored The Intelligent Investor, the 1949 seminal book on investing that attracted Buffett to study under Graham at Columbia. Dodd was dean of admissions in 1950 and, luckily, agreed to accept Buffett as a student, even though his application had missed the usual deadline, according to The Snowball,” Alice Schroeder’s biography of Buffett. "

A few years later Dodd was an early investor in Berkshire Hathaway and put shares in his daughter’s name, which led to her philanthropy. She has been a steady supporter of the George School, a coeducational Quaker boarding school for grades nine through 12 where she graduated in 1950.

“I am honored that Barbara has invited me to share this event with her,” Buffett said in a statement. “I would not be who I am today without David Dodd. ... He treated me like a son, and invested in my partnership for his daughter.

“Barbara is a terrific person, and her father would be very proud of her. Through her philanthropy at George School, she has planted a tree that future generations will sit under.”  Read more.