Richard Lee Gelb (June 8, 1924 – April 4, 2004) was an American businessman from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. He was a consultant and director of various corporations and

not-for-profit A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives. While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...

entities, and from 1960 to his retirement in 1995 was a senior executive at

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company The Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, doing business as Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and consiste ...

Biography

Gelb was born in New York City, graduated from

Phillips Andover Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, and

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

, and lived most of his life in New York's

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the boroughs of New York City, borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded approximately by 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street to the north, the East River to the e ...

. He was former director of the

New York Life Insurance Company New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC) is the third-largest life insurance company and the largest mutual insurance, mutual life insurance company in the United States, and is ranked #69 on the 2025 Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S. corporat ...

The New York Times Company The New York Times Company is an American mass media corporation that publishes ''The New York Times'' and its associated publications such as ''The New York Times International Edition'' and other media properties. The New York Times Company's ...

, Bessemer Securities Corporation and

Federal Reserve Bank of New York The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks of the United States. It is responsible for the Second District of the Federal Reserve System, which encompasses the New York (state), State of New York, the 12 norther ...

. He was Chairman Emeritus since 1995, chairman from 1976 to 1995, President from 1967 to 1976, chief executive officer from 1972 to 1993 and a Director since 1960, of the healthcare company Bristol-Myers Squibb. Gelb died of cancer in 2004.

Philanthropic work

Gelb was director emeritus of

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 ...

, former director of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank focused on Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi ...

, former vice chairman of the Board of Overseers and Board of Managers of

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in Manhattan in New York City. MSKCC is one of 72 National Cancer Institute– designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Its main campus is ...

, a member of the board of directors of the

Citizens Crime Commission of New York City The Citizens Crime Commission of New York City (Crime Commission) is an independent, non-profit, nonpartisan organization focused on criminal justice and public safety policy reform. The Crime Commission’s recent education and advocacy efforts h ...

and trustee emeritus of the

New York Racing Association The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York (state), New York, United States: Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Q ...

. He helped to found the

New York City Police Foundation The New York City Police Foundation (NYCPF) is a non-profit established in 1971 by the Association for a Better New York to privately fund New York City Police Department initiatives. The organization has been criticized for lacking transparency i ...

with Mayor

John V. Lindsay John Vliet Lindsay (; November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician and lawyer. During his political career, Lindsay was a U.S. congressman, the mayor of New York City, and a candidate for U.S. president. He was also a regu ...

. With his brother, Bruce, Gelb also ran the Lawrence M. Gelb Foundation, a family philanthropic foundation named for his father that supported education, cultural programs and hospitals.

Publications

*''Your Future in Beauty Culture'',

References

External links

Richard L. Gelb Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gelb, Richard Lee 1924 births 2004 deaths American consultants Businesspeople from Manhattan People from the Upper East Side New York Racing Association executives American chief executives Phillips Academy alumni Yale University alumni Harvard Business School alumni Gelb family Bristol Myers Squibb Federal Reserve Bank of New York