Keith Kleiner
Central 1996
Keith Kleiner began his career as an early employee at Google where he was responsible for managing the deployment and configuration of all of Google’s thousands of servers worldwide as the manager of hardware operations. He also was responsible for many of the critical daily operational duties of the search engine’s Web site during the company’s formative years. In 2005, he left Google to pursue a series of other interests.
Today, Kleiner is a chemistry and physics teacher at Aragon High School (aragonphysics.org) in San Mateo, Calif. After leaving Google, he spent several months as a substitute science and math teacher in the Los Angeles area, where he taught at more than 15 schools through the Teachers on Reserve program.
Kleiner also is founder and investment manager for the Haymar Fund, a hedge fund that invests in U.S. equities. Established in January 2007, Kleiner set a goal for the fund eventually to exceed $100 million.
In July 2008, Kleiner launched Singularity Hub (singularityhub.com), a website that focuses on the latest developments in cutting edge fields such as genetics, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. The singularity, according to Kleiner, is the point in mankind’s future when man will transcend current intellectual and biological limitations and initiate an intelligence and information explosion beyond imagination.
In 2006, Keith and his wife, Mariela, launched The Giving Challenge (thegivingchallenge.com), a charitable cause which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Participants in The Giving Challenge have one week to give away $1,000 to better the lives of others. The Kleiners ask that participants videotape the process, which is then posted on the website to inspire viewers to improve the lives of others in creative and significant ways.
Kleiner graduated in 2000 from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a B.S. in computer science (magna cum laude) and a B.S. in chemistry (with honors). While still in school, he founded and was president of the Mizzou Linux Users Group, one of the main communities for Linux enthusiasts in the Midwest. He also spent one semester studying abroad at University College London.