SAN
FRANCISCO, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In
November 2024, the JP Conte Family
Foundation made a transformative $5
million gift to UCSF to establish two professorships in the
Department of Neurology. These endowed positions, overseen by
department chair S. Andrew
Josephson, MD, will support groundbreaking research and
activities related to Parkinson's disease—a cause deeply personal
to Jean-Pierre Conte and his
family.
For Jean-Pierre, known as JP, this connection to UCSF began when
his father, Pierre Conte, was
diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 75. After moving
from the East Coast to the Bay Area in their early 70s, Pierre and
his wife, Isabel, cherished their time as grandparents, playing an
integral role in JP's children's lives. JP coached soccer at his
son's school, and he remembers his father always being there with
him.
"It was wonderful to have multiple generations be a part of my
children's upbringing," JP reflects.
JP's parents, Pierre and Isabel
Conte have compelling immigrant stories. Pierre lived
through the Nazi occupation in Lyon,
France, where he witnessed brutal scenes, including bodies
of French civilians piled up in the schoolyard. At 18, he
immigrated to the U.S., eventually settling in Brooklyn. Although a leg injury kept him from
serving in the Korean War, he contributed to his infantry by
fitting recruits with uniforms. This training as a tailor became
his trade and he turned it into his career after the war.
JP's mother dreamed of living in America from an early age. "She
wanted to escape the restrictions on women in Cuba, where she grew up," he shares. "When she
was old enough, she left for a weekend trip to Miami and never looked back, heading straight
to New York."
Born in Brooklyn and mostly
raised in New Jersey, JP was
mentored by Wall Street titans who were loyal customers of his
father, then a clothing salesman at the exclusive Paul Stuart store in New York City. They helped guide JP through
his education and early career, leading him to his current role as
chairman and managing partner of Genstar Capital, a premier
middle-market private equity firm.
When Pierre was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in his
mid-seventies, JP was determined to secure the best medical care
for him. Through the VA Medical Center in San Francisco, JP met a team of UCSF doctors,
and he was reassured by the exceptional expertise and care they
provided.
"I knew right away that my dad was getting the tops of the top
at the VA," JP says. "UCSF is an incredible place – the #1
recipient of NIH funding, with some of the most highly regarded
clinician-scientists working to improve treatments for Parkinson's
and other diseases."
His father's battle and eventual passing only strengthened JP's
commitment to supporting Parkinson's research and investigations
into neurodegenerative disorders that the Department of Neurology
helps lead nationally. He remains deeply impressed by Dr.
Josephson's work and dedication.
"Andy is such a great ambassador for UCSF," JP notes. "He is on
a mission to find better solutions for brain health. When you meet
him, he comes across as the kind, caring Midwest guy next door, yet
he's also the smartest guy in the room."
For JP, investing in UCSF means empowering the best-equipped
players to tackle the most complex problems in health. "And they
are right here in our backyard!" he adds.
Dr. Josephson is deeply grateful for this opportunity to provide
talented faculty members from the Department of Neurology and the
UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences with the time and resources
they need to do their most excellent work.
"This heartfelt gift from the JP Conte Family Foundation not
only honors Pierre's memory but also fuels our ongoing support of
those brilliant clinician-scientists who will help us improve
treatments and, ultimately, find a cure for Parkinson's disease and
other neurodegenerative disorders," he says.
About JP Conte Family Foundation
The JP Conte Family Foundation, established by Jean-Pierre Conte, chairman and managing partner
of Genstar Capital, is committed to advancing medical research and
improving patient outcomes through strategic philanthropy. This
gift to UCSF represents the foundation's dedication to supporting
breakthrough research in neurodegenerative disorders.
For more information, please contact: jp@risaheller.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grateful-son-jp-conte-fuels-research-into-parkinsons-disease-and-other-brain-disorders-302352326.html
SOURCE JP Conte Family Foundation
