Career
Tompkins Buell co-founded the Esprit clothing brand. In 1967, Tompkins Buell and Jane Tise co-founded the Plain Jane clothing label. Plain Jane was making $2 million year by 1970.
By 1986, the global clothing brand had reached $800 million in sales.
The Tompkinses divorced in 1989. In 1990, Tompkins Buell led a leveraged buyout that gained her control of the company, and netted her an estimated $150 million.
Esprit emerged from the buyout so deeply in debt that it went into technical default on its outstanding loans within less than two years. Also in 1997, Tompkins Buell filed a lawsuit against Espirit, seeking about $4 million in reimbursements from the company for tax payments she made after selling much of her stake in the company to investors.
She led Clinton"s fundraising efforts for 2008 in the San Francisco Bay area.
Tompkins Buell held a fundraiser for David Brock"s Media Matters at her San Francisco home. In February 2012, Tompkins Buell stopped financially supporting President Barack Obama, citing disappointment with his leadership on environmental issues including climate change.
