Pat Stryker
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Patricia Stryker (born 1956) is the granddaughter of Homer Stryker, surgeon and founder of Stryker Corporation, a medical technology company.
The low-profile heiress has been more active in civic life in recent years, with an interest in liberal causes. She donated $3 million to defeat a 2002 ballot initiative regarding bilingual education in Colorado. In 2004, she gave $20 million to Colorado State University, mostly to benefit its football team.
Stryker bought Sonoma's Sommer Vineyards in 1999, which she rebuilt, replanted, and rechristened as Stryker Sonoma [1]. It covers 32 acres (129,000 m²) in Alexander Valley, California, producer of classic vinifera varieties Bordeaux and Zinfandel.
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[edit] Political donations
In 2006, Stryker gave $500,000 to the Coalition for Progress, a political action committee that donated heavily to support Democratic party candidates in Michigan elections.[1]
Stryker donated $3 million to defeat a 2002 ballot initiative regarding bilingual education in Colorado.
Following fraud allegations in November 2007 involving Stryker Corp. overbilling for Medicare in South Dakota, Republicans called on Democratic organizations to return donations they had received from Stryker and her brother, Jon Stryker.[2]
[edit] Gang of Four
Stryker, Jared Polis, Tim Gill, and Rutt Bridges are known in Colorado political circles as the "Gang of Four". Significant political contributions from the four to favored Democratic candidates has played a role in electing a Democratic majority in Colorado's house and senate.[3]
[edit] Democracy Alliance
According to New York Times reporter Matt Bai, Stryker attended the April 2005 meeting of the Democracy Alliance near Scottsdale, Arizona.
