Tom Claugus grew up in Barnesville, Ohio. He earned his BS in Chemical Engineering from Ohio State University and subsequently obtained his MBA from Harvard Business School where he graduated as a Baker Scholar with highest distinction.

Tom worked for Rohm and Haas, a global specialty chemicals company, for 17 years based in Mexico, Europe and the United States. He left the company to establish his own hedge fund which has consistently been one of the best performers in the industry. Throughout his career, he has constantly sought to support and give back to those most in need, working with organizations and people all over the globe to make the world a better place.

In 2012, Tom joined forces with Beatriz Illescas, who was at that time representing her country as the Consul General of Guatemala in Atlanta. Her years of experience in the field of higher education in Guatemala as well as her deep understanding of the needs of the immigrant population made her an ideal partner for Tom’s philanthropic projects.

After months of discussing possible ways to do so, they decided to create a private family-run foundation and selected Beatriz as its President. Together, they began work honing their vision and developing the Foundation’s initial mission. In March of 2013, the Foundation For a Better World was officially registered and incorporated.

Beatriz served as the Foundation's President from its inception until stepping down in 2023, leading the Foundation's growth and maximizing its impact for over a decade. Adam Hoffman now serves as the Foundation's President after serving as a Program Assistant and a Program Director with The Foundation For A Better World since 2018.

While the foundation has evolved and grown substantially over the years, and while the vast majority of our grantmaking efforts are focused on medical research, our core mission remains; to find cures for neurodegenerative diseases, improve access to quality education and support major global development initiatives in the developing world.