Howard Buffett: Farmer, sheriff, philanthropist and Warren Buffett's successor at Berkshire Hathaway

It’s no secret that billionaire investor Warren Buffett wanted his middle child, Howard Graham Buffett, known commonly as Howie Buffett, to succeed him as chairman at Berkshire Hathaway, though in a non-executive role.

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Warren Buffett talked about why he chose Howie to succeed him.

“He is getting it because he’s my son,” WSJ quoted the 94-year-old investor as saying. “I’m very, very, very lucky in the fact that I trust all three of my children,” he added.

Howard 'Howie' Buffett in several roles

Howie has been a farmer, county commissioner, corporate board member, philanthropist, and even sheriff. After struggling to adjust to college, he worked at See’s Candies, a Berkshire-owned company, before returning to Nebraska to start an excavating business and later pursue farming.

Today, much of his energy is directed toward his Howard G. Buffett Foundation, one of the largest private charitable organisations in the world.

The foundation, which focuses on food security and conflict mitigation, has supported efforts in Colombia, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The foundation has poured millions of dollars into improving agricultural productivity, combating malnutrition, and supporting water access in Africa, Latin America, and the United States.

A practical farmer himself, Buffett also manages thousands of acres of farmland in Illinois, where he applies innovative techniques to improve soil health and crop yields.

In 2017, he served briefly as the sheriff of Macon County, Illinois, stepping in during a transitional period to support the local community.

Is Howie ready for next role?

Now, he is preparing for perhaps his most challenging role yet: nonexecutive chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the nearly $1 trillion conglomerate built by his father.

“When the time comes, I’m ready to do it,” WSJ quoted Howie as saying. “I’ve gone through most of my life doing things that I wasn’t sure exactly how to do.”

As a child, he absorbed lessons by listening to his father’s side of phone conversations, according to the report. A director on Berkshire’s board for over 30 years, Howie has had a front-row seat as Warren Buffett transformed a struggling textile maker into a corporate empire.

Beyond Berkshire, Howie and his siblings face another monumental task: directing their father’s nearly $140 billion in Berkshire stock to philanthropic causes. This transfer of wealth, one of the largest in history, will diminish the family’s control over the company over time.

In November 2024, Buffett outlined the succession plan for his $147 billion fortune.

The chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway converted 1,600 Class A shares into 2.4 million Class B shares, distributing 1.5 million shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his late wife, and 300,000 shares each to the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.