Career Timeline of Warren Buffett: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Warren Buffett built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Warren Buffett, a highly successful American investor and philanthropist, is renowned as the chairman and former CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. His investment acumen has made him one of the world's most recognized investors. As of January 2026, his estimated net worth of $148.9 billion ranks him among the wealthiest individuals globally.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1944: First Income Tax Return

In 1944, Warren Buffett filed his first income tax return and took a $35 deduction for the use of his bicycle and watch on his paper route.

1945: Purchased Pinball Machine

In 1945, Warren Buffett and a friend spent $25 to purchase a used pinball machine, placing it in a local barber shop and expanding to multiple locations.

1947: Sold Pinball Business

In 1947, Warren Buffett and his friend sold their pinball machine business to a war veteran for $1,200.

1951: Worked at Buffett-Falk & Co.

From 1951, Warren Buffett worked as an investment salesman at his father's firm, Buffett-Falk & Co.

1951: First GEICO stock purchase

In 1951, Warren Buffett discovered that Graham was on the board of GEICO insurance and after meeting Lorimer Davidson, GEICO's vice president, Buffett made his first purchase of GEICO stock.

1954: Worked at Graham-Newman Corp.

From 1954, Warren Buffett worked as a securities analyst at Graham-Newman Corp.

1954: Accepted job at Benjamin Graham's partnership

In 1954, Warren Buffett accepted a job at Benjamin Graham's partnership with a starting salary of $12,000 a year.

1956: General partner at several investment partnerships

From 1956, Warren Buffett was the general partner at several investment partnerships.

1956: Benjamin Graham retired and closed his partnership

In 1956, Benjamin Graham retired and closed his partnership, leading Warren Buffett to return to Omaha and start a series of investment partnerships with personal savings over $174,000.

1956: Created Buffett Partnership Ltd.

In 1956, Warren Buffett created Buffett Partnership Ltd., marking a significant step in his investment career.

1957: Operated three investment partnerships

In 1957, Warren Buffett operated three investment partnerships, marking the beginning of his independent investment ventures.

1959: Met Charlie Munger

In 1959, Warren Buffett was introduced to his future partner Charlie Munger during a business luncheon at The Omaha Club.

1961: Invested in Sanborn Map Company

In 1961, Warren Buffett revealed that 35% of the partnership's assets were invested in the Sanborn Map Company, recognizing its undervalued stock.

1962: Became a millionaire

In 1962, Warren Buffett became a millionaire due to the success of his partnerships, which held nearly $7.2 million, with more than $1,025,000 belonging to Buffett.

1965: Berkshire Hathaway share purchase

In 1965, Warren Buffett's partnerships began aggressively purchasing Berkshire Hathaway shares at $14.86 per share.

1966: Closed partnership to new money

In 1966, Warren Buffett closed his partnership to new money, later claiming that the textile business had been his worst trade.

1967: Berkshire paid out its first and only dividend

In 1967, Berkshire Hathaway paid out its first and only dividend of 10 cents.

1969: Liquidated the partnership

In 1969, Warren Buffett liquidated his partnership and transferred assets to his partners, living solely on his salary and outside investment income.

1969: Membership in Highland Club

In 1969, after purchasing the Omaha Sun, Warren Buffett became the first non-Jewish member of Omaha's Highland Club to promote nondiscrimination.

1969: End of Buffett's general partnership

Warren Buffett was the general partner at several investment partnerships until 1969.

1970: Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

From 1970, Warren Buffett served as the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

1970: Warren Buffett as Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

From 1970, Warren Buffett served as the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway.

1970: Buffett became chairman and majority shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway

In 1970, Warren Buffett became the chairman and majority shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, solidifying his control over the company.

1973: Began to acquire stock in the Washington Post Company

In 1973, Berkshire Hathaway began acquiring stock in the Washington Post Company, marking the beginning of Buffett's involvement with the media company.

1977: Purchased the Buffalo Evening News

In 1977, Berkshire Hathaway indirectly purchased the Buffalo Evening News for $32.5 million, leading to antitrust charges.

1978: Charlie Munger joined Berkshire Hathaway

In 1978, Charlie Munger joined Warren Buffett as vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, forming a long-time business partnership.

1979: Berkshire acquired stock in ABC

In 1979, Berkshire Hathaway began to acquire stock in ABC, setting the stage for a major media deal.

1982: The Courier-Express folded

In 1982, the Buffalo Courier-Express, a rival of the Buffalo Evening News, folded after both papers lost money.

March 18, 1985: Capital Cities purchased ABC

On March 18, 1985, Capital Cities announced a $3.5 billion purchase of ABC, with Warren Buffett helping to finance the deal in return for a 25% stake in the combined company.

1985: Sold the last of the mills of Berkshire Hathaway

In 1985, the last of the mills that had been the core business of Berkshire Hathaway was sold.

1987: Berkshire Hathaway purchased a stake in Salomon Inc.

In 1987, Berkshire Hathaway purchased a 12% stake in Salomon Inc., making it the largest shareholder, and Warren Buffett a director.

1988: Buffett Buys Coca-Cola Stock

In 1988, Warren Buffett began investing in The Coca-Cola Company, eventually acquiring 7% of the company's stock for $1.02 billion, which proved to be one of Berkshire Hathaway's most successful and enduring investments.

1989: Purchase of Private Jet

In 1989, Warren Buffett purchased a private jet for nearly $6.7 million of Berkshire's funds, naming it "The Indefensible", later renamed "The Indispensable".

August 1991: Buffett Becomes Chairman of Salomon Inc.

In August 1991, following the scandal involving the CEO of Salomon Brothers, Warren Buffett stepped in to become the chairman of Salomon Inc. until the crisis was resolved.

1996: Letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders

In his 1996 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Warren Buffett emphasized the importance of long-term stock ownership, stating that if you aren't willing to own a stock for ten years, don't even think about owning it for ten minutes.

1998: Buffett acquires General Re

In 1998, Warren Buffett acquired General Re (Gen Re) as a subsidiary, a deal that faced difficulties due to inadequate underwriting standards and a problematic derivatives book.

1999: Sale of Private Jet

Prior to mid-1999, Warren Buffett sold the private jet he had previously purchased and began using Berkshire's flight services.

2001: Auction of Lincoln Town Car

In 2001, Warren Buffett auctioned his 2001 Lincoln Town Car on eBay to raise money for Girls, Inc.

2002: Buffett becomes involved with AIG

In 2002, General Re provided reinsurance after Warren Buffett became involved with Maurice R. Greenberg at AIG.

2002: Adviser to Nuclear Threat Initiative

In 2002, Warren Buffett began serving as an adviser to the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington.

2002: Buffett Enters Forward Contracts

In 2002, Warren Buffett entered into $11 billion worth of forward contracts to deliver U.S. dollars against other currencies.

2002: Entry into Foreign Currency Market

In 2002, the trade deficit caused Warren Buffett to enter the foreign currency market for the first time.

2004: Advocacy for Stock Option Expensing

At the 2004 annual meeting, Warren Buffett criticized a bill before the United States Congress that would consider only some company-issued stock options compensation as an expense, likening the bill to one attempting to change the value of Pi through legislative fiat.

2005: Reduced Stake in Foreign Currency

In 2005, Warren Buffett substantially reduced his stake in foreign currency markets due to changing interest rates. He remained bearish on the dollar, seeking companies with substantial foreign revenues.

June 2006: Charitable Donation Plan

In June 2006, Warren Buffett announced a plan to give 83% of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, pledging about the equivalent of 10 million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares, making it the largest charitable donation in history.

June 2006: Buffett Announces Philanthropic Gifts

In June 2006, Warren Buffett announced that he would gradually donate 85% of his Berkshire holdings to five foundations, starting in July 2006, with the largest contribution going to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

July 2006: Buffett Starts Giving Away Berkshire Holdings

Starting in July 2006, Warren Buffett began giving away 85% of his Berkshire holdings to five foundations in annual gifts of stock, with the largest contribution to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

2006: Auction of Lincoln Town Car

In 2006, Warren Buffet auctioned his 2001 Lincoln Town Car to raise money for Girls, Inc.

2006: Sponsorship of Buffett Cup

In 2006, Warren Buffett sponsored a bridge match called the Buffett Cup, modeled on the Ryder Cup in golf.

2006: Annual Salary

In 2006, Warren Buffett's annual salary was about $100,000.

2007: Bet on S&P 500 Index Fund

In 2007, Buffett made a bet with numerous managers that a simple S&P 500 index fund would outperform hedge funds that charge exorbitant fees.

2007: Buffett Seeks Successor

In 2007, Warren Buffett announced in a letter to shareholders that he was seeking a younger successor, or possibly multiple successors, to manage his investment business.

2007: Auction Luncheon

In 2007, Warren Buffett auctioned a luncheon with himself that raised a final bid of $650,100 for the Glide Foundation.

2007: Testimony on Inheritance Tax

In 2007, Warren Buffett testified before the Senate, urging them to preserve the estate tax to avoid a plutocracy. Buffett also believes government should not be in the business of gambling.

2007: Cancellation of Coal-Fired Power Plants

In 2007, Warren Buffett's PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Company, cancelled six proposed coal-fired power plants, including Utah's Intermountain Power Project Unit 3 and Jim Bridger Unit 5, after pressure from regulators and citizen groups.

September 23, 2008: Berkshire Hathaway Invests in Goldman Sachs

On September 23, 2008, Berkshire Hathaway acquired 10 percent of the perpetual preferred stock of Goldman Sachs, signaling Warren Buffett's instrumental role in the crisis affecting debt and equity markets.

October 2008: Buffett Buys GE Preferred Stock

In October 2008, Warren Buffett agreed to purchase General Electric (GE) preferred stock, which included special incentives such as an option to buy GE stock and a 10% dividend.

October 2008: Investment in BYD Company

In October 2008, Warren Buffett invested $230 million for 10% of battery and electric vehicle maker BYD Company. This investment reaped over a 500% return in less than a year.

2008: Total Compensation

In 2008, Warren Buffett earned a total compensation of $175,000, which included a base salary of just $100,000.

February 2009: Buffett Sells Shares

In February 2009, Warren Buffett sold some of his personal holdings of Procter & Gamble Co. and Johnson & Johnson shares.

June 2009: Berkshire Hathaway Among Largest Corporations

As of June 2009, Berkshire Hathaway was the eighteenth largest corporation in the world based on market capitalization in the Financial Times Global 500.

2009: Meeting with Billionaires Regarding Global Issues

In 2009, Warren Buffett met with other billionaires to discuss healthcare, education, and slowing population growth. This group, dubbed "The Good Club," included Oprah Winfrey, Michael Bloomberg, and David Rockefeller, Jr., and collectively donated $45 billion to philanthropic causes. Warren Buffett also supports family planning.

December 9, 2010: Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge

On December 9, 2010, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg signed the "Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge", promising to donate at least half of their wealth to charity and inviting other wealthy individuals to do the same.

2010: The Giving Pledge Founded

In 2010, Warren Buffett, along with Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, founded The Giving Pledge, encouraging billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

2010: BNSF Merger Closes

In 2010, the merger with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) was finalized upon BNSF shareholder approval, valued at approximately $44 billion, including $10 billion of outstanding BNSF debt, increasing the previously existing stake of 22%.

March 18, 2011: Goldman Sachs Buys Back Berkshire's Stock

On March 18, 2011, Goldman Sachs received Federal Reserve approval to repurchase Berkshire Hathaway's preferred stock in Goldman, a move Buffett initially resisted due to the lucrative daily dividends.

November 2011: Buffett Invests in IBM

In November 2011, it was announced that over the previous eight months, Warren Buffett had acquired 64 million shares of International Business Machine Corp (IBM) stock, worth around $11 billion, surprising many due to his prior aversion to technology investments.

2011: Acquisition of Omaha World Herald

In 2011, Warren Buffett's company acquired the Omaha World Herald.

May 2012: Comments on High-Technology Stocks and IPOs

In May 2012, Warren Buffett said he had avoided buying stock in high-technology companies such as Facebook and Google, due to their complexity and difficulty in estimating their future value. He also stated that initial public offerings (IPOs) of new stock issues are almost always bad investments.

May 2012: Buffett Acquires Media General

In May 2012, Warren Buffett's acquisition of Media General, which included 63 newspapers in the southeastern U.S., was announced.

May 2013: Berkshire Shareholders Meeting

At the Berkshire shareholders meeting in May 2013, Warren Buffett stated that he did not expect newspaper acquisitions to significantly impact Berkshire but anticipated a 10 percent annual return.

July 18, 2013: Press of Atlantic City to be Sold to Buffett's BH Media Group

On July 18, 2013, interim publisher James W. Hopson announced that the Press of Atlantic City would be sold to Warren Buffett's BH Media Group.

September 2013: Buffett Presents to Georgetown Students

In late September 2013, during a presentation to Georgetown University students, Warren Buffett likened the U.S. Federal Reserve to a hedge fund and advocated for wealth equality.

December 9, 2013: Berkshire Hathaway Purchases Shares in USG Corporation

On December 9, 2013, Berkshire Hathaway purchased shares in USG Corporation, which they failed to report as required and were fined for it on August 20, 2014.

2017: Index Fund Outperforms Hedge Funds

By 2017, the S&P 500 index fund that Buffett bet on had outperformed every hedge fund that made the bet against him.

January 2018: Comments on Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

In January 2018, Warren Buffett told CNBC that the craze over Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies would not end well, calling it "rat poison squared." He also stated he would not take a short position on bitcoin futures.

June 2021: Comments on Economic Impact of COVID-19

In a June 2021 interview with CNBC, Warren Buffett stated that the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased economic inequality and bemoaned the negative impact on small businesses. He also stated that markets and the economy would be unpredictable into the post-pandemic recovery.

June 23, 2021: Resignation as Trustee of Gates Foundation

On June 23, 2021, Warren Buffett announced his resignation as a trustee of the Gates Foundation.

November 2022: Donation to Charitable Foundations

In November 2022, Warren Buffett donated $750 million in Berkshire Hathaway shares to four charitable foundations run by his children, including the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. He also transferred shares to the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.

May 3, 2025: Requested Greg Abel to be appointed as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

On May 3, 2025, at Berkshire Hathaway's investor conference, Warren Buffett requested that the board appoint Greg Abel as the company's chief executive officer by the year's end, while Buffett would remain as chairman.

May 5, 2025: Abel Appointed President and CEO

On May 5, 2025, Berkshire Hathaway announced the appointment of Greg Abel as president and CEO, effective January 1, 2026, with Warren Buffett remaining as chairman.

June 2025: Donation to Charitable Foundations

In June 2025, Warren Buffett donated $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares to five charitable foundations, primarily to the Gates Foundation. As of June 2025, his total donations exceeded $60 billion.