Our senior prom song was “Do you know where you’re going to?” by Diana Ross. Upon mature reflection fifty years later, the answer is I had no idea at all.  

I did know that I had a passion for studying history and that stayed with me throughout the years. My first outstanding history teacher was Lee Freedman in 10^th grade. She combined passion with knowledge and taught rather than regurgitating from the book. I reached out to Lee several decades ago to thank her for encouraging me at LHS and let her know of my accomplishments in history. It was rewarding to re-connect.  

For the past seventeen years I have been the President and CEO of the Museum of American Finance, a non-profit that preserves, exhibits and teaches about our nation’s finances and financial history. We are the caretakers of our nation’s financial heritage and as I like to say, that means while other museums have George Washington’s false teeth, we have his Treasury bonds. At the Museum, there have been some difficulties and many incredible moments: none more exciting than a decade ago when Lin Manuel-Miranda wandered into my office explaining that he was writing a hip-hop musical about the first Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. He conducted research with our Hamilton collection, rapped a few songs for my staff, and performed at our annual Gala. He filmed the last 15 minutes of the 2016 PBS documentary at the Museum with co-star Leslie Odom Jr. and me, and that was all before the musical even opened! The influence of the show is so widespread that before it launched, no one knew who Hamilton was, and now I have 8-year-olds finishing my sentences. I knew a lot about Hamilton as I wrote my Ph.D. dissertation about his financial plan for the nation. That Ph.D. was an arduous part-time endeavor while working full-time, one class a semester, and it took me a decade to complete. Since then, I have co-authored two books on Hamilton, including “Alexander Hamilton on Finance, Credit and Debt,” and “Financial Founding Fathers,” and wrote several pieces for peer review journals. One article was the co-recipient of the Program in Early American Economy and Society award for a best journal article in 2000. “Financial Founding Fathers” was recently cited by the Chief Justice in a 2026 Supreme Court opinion. I am a founding co-chair of the International Federation of Finance Museums and served on the Smithsonian Affiliates Advisory Council as well as the Federal Reserve Board’s Centennial Advisory Council.  

In 2018, the Museum, which was then located in New York City, suffered a significant flood and after much consideration and analysis we recently reopened in Boston. The Museum touches tens of thousands of lives every year with its financial education programs and has thriving partnerships with the New York Public Library and upcoming with the Boston Public Schools.  The museum is free of charge, meaning no barriers to entry to anyone wanting to visit. Check it out at www.moaf.org.  

In my role I am required to do a lot of public speaking, which did not come naturally to me. I practice for every major speech, and think about the line attributed to Winston Churchill, who is arguably the greatest orator of the 20^th century, that he “practiced so much, he even practiced the pauses.”  

My personal journey changed when I went on a blind date with my wife Beth in 1992 and we married several years later. Beth is an accomplished restructuring lawyer. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her something big would happen and it has been an amazing 34 years.  We have two incredible sons and reside in Morris County. Our older son Andrew works in DC for a large consulting firm, and our younger son Ethan is a college sophomore. While I married and had children later than most in life, I often comment that “I married my second wife first.” She is a phenomenal life partner and incredible mother.  

One nice aside, I introduced classmate Karen Metsky to my brother Rob, and they have been happily married since 1989. In return, it was Karen who introduced me to her cousin who set up the date with Beth. I am in regular contact for over 55 years with close friends and classmates Neill Silverman, and Ross and Jon Gillman.  

After LHS I took a postgraduate year at the Lawrenceville School, attended Northwestern for several years, transferred to Columbia College and graduated with a degree in American history. It was the 1982 recession and a difficult job market, so I traveled, took several unremarkable jobs, and learned about how foreign exchange fluctuates. That knowledge prompted me to apply for trading positions at the larger Wall Street firms, but I encountered rejections as I had no background in economics. So I took an entry level position at a now defunct British bank called Grindlays. It was easy to get a job there as no one had heard of it. I thrived, and within six months earned a transfer to their headquarters in London where I spent several years. It was a phenomenal experience where I made lifelong friends and learned the business. Still, I wanted to work for a bigger bank and realized the way to accomplish that was through business school, so I matriculated to Wharton for an MBA. I continued my career at Bankers Trust (my favorite oxymoron), having started there about a month before the 1987 stock market crash. While I would spend another dozen years at Bankers Trust (during which time I earned my Pd.D.), including another extended stint in London, it was taken over by a large bank. After several jobs elsewhere I opened my own fund with some friends for several years before accepting the position with the Museum. Given my background and the learning that had inspired me I wanted to teach others, so from 2020-2025, I taught a class on the history of capital markets called “Booms, Bubbles, Busts and Crashes” at Fordham’s Gabelli Business School as an Adjunct Professor and am a frequent lecturer on the origins of the capital markets and the history of money in America.  

I enjoy spending time with my family including Beth and the boys, my mother Ilene (and my father Bob prior to his passing), my sister Peggy and her family who live in Israel and visit often, and brother Rob and his family; viewing paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder; savoring cognac; leisurely bike riding; and a continued passion for chess, which I enjoy playing for fun on the internet. Many decades ago I entered tournaments and hope to resume that in retirement.  

Reading the stories of my ‘77 classmates is inspiring. I have had plenty of ups and downs, accomplishments and challenges. And in the end, like you, we have all made a life for ourselves.  

I have created several lists over the years and will share one — why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday: 1). Uniquely American; 2). Non-denominational; 3). Based on eating with leftovers; 4). Football on television; 5).  A 4-day weekend for most; 6). No presents; and 7). We all have something to be thankful for.  

I certainly know that I have a lot to be thankful for. As far as the future, while I still don’t know “where I’m going to,” I do look forward to reconnecting at the 50^th reunion.