Warren Buffett’s son, Howard, will serve as the Macon County, Illinois sheriff after the current sheriff retired early and appointed Buffett to succeed him
One of billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s two sons is poised to become the interim sheriff of Macon County in central Illinois.
Macon County Sheriff Thomas Schneider said Friday that he is retiring early ahead of an election next fall for his replacement.
He has chosen Howard Buffett, whose charitable foundation has contributed more than $55million in the region over the past two decades, to serve in the meantime.
Howard Buffett has been a Macon County undersheriff since September 2014 and has completed more than 3,300 hours of patrol and training.
‘I look forward to serving our citizens and our sheriff’s office employees in a broader capacity,’ Buffett said in a statement.
He is to be sworn in Friday afternoon. Officials say he will immediately begin full-time office hours as sheriff.
Buffett is pictured sitting while his father, the billionaire investor Warren Buffett, stands over him. Howard Buffett has served as an undersheriff since 2014 and has donated more than $55million to the region over the past two decades
Howard Buffett was elected a commissioner of the Douglas County Board in Nebraska in 1998 and currently is on the corporate board of his father’s Berkshire Hathaway.
He previously has served on the boards of such companies as Archer Daniels Midland, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. and ConAgra Foods.
Buffett’s father told The Associated Press ‘whatever Howie takes on he’ll do well’ and that he supports his son.
‘I’m sure it will not diminish activity for his philanthropy or the Berkshire Board,’ Warren Buffett said. ‘Howie has unlimited energy.’
The Macon County seat is Decatur, about 170 miles southwest of Chicago.
Buffett’s other son is named Peter. He also has a daughter named Susan.
Buffett is pictured playing with his dog at his home in Wilcox, Arizona in 2013
In this February 2014 file photo, Buffett speaks in Omaha, Nebraska