Robert B. Menschel (1930–2022) was an American investment banker and philanthropist. He had a 50-year relationship with

Goldman Sachs The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered in Lower Manhattan in New York City, with regional headquarters in many internationa ...

as a partner or senior director. The author of a financial book, and the winner of the 2015

Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy is a private award for philanthropy, bestowed every second year to multiple people by the Carnegie family of institutions. In recent years the medal has been presented in New York. About the Medal The Carnegie ...

Early life

Menschel was born . His father was a real estate investor. He has a brother,

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...

, who is also a Goldman Sachs senior director and philanthropist. Menschel graduated from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

's College of Business Administration in 1951.

Career

Menschel began his career at

in 1954. When it became a public company in 1999, Menschel earned $20 million in shares. He is now a (retired) senior director. Menschel is the author of ''Markets, Mobs & Mayhem: A Modern Look at the Madness of Crowds'', prefaced by

William Safire William Lewis Safire (; Safir; December 17, 1929 – September 27, 2009Safire, William (1986). ''Take My Word for It: More on Language.'' Times Books. . p. 185.) was an American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He ...

. While presenting historical examples of societal hysteria, Menschel suggests picking stocks by focusing on " value investing, ..a strong franchise, a defined strategy that focuses on a core competency, and consistent sales and earnings."

Philanthropy and political activity

Menschel Media Center at Syracuse University

Menschel was first elected to the board of trustees of

in 1981. There, he served as a voting trustee for more than two decades, becoming a trustee emeritus and part of a select group of honorary trustees. He financially supported the

Light Work Light Work is a photography center in Syracuse, New York. The artist-run nonprofit supports photographers through a community-access digital lab facility, residencies, exhibitions, and publications. History The organization is housed at Sy ...

photography center, Robert B. Menschel Media Center, and the Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery. Since 1977, he has been at various times the chairman, president, trustee and chairman of the executive committee of the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

as well as former chairman of its photography committee, where he has donated 162 photographs. He assisted Larry Siegel in founding the

Midtown Y Photography Gallery Midtown Y Photography Gallery was a pioneering nonprofit organisation in New York that offered photographers an opportunity to publicly exhibit their work. The Gallery ran from 1972 until 1996 directed in turn by photographers Larry Siegel, Sy Rubi ...

in 1972 as a corridor gallery at the Emanu-El Midtown YM-YWHA on 14th Street. He serves on the board of trustees of the

NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (abbreviated as NYP) is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City. It is the primary teaching hospital for Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The hospi ...

. He is the namesake of The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium at 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 ...

. With his brother, Richard, Menschel won the 2015

. Menschel and his wife donated over $700,000 to Democrats in 2010. He is the former board president of

The Dalton School The Dalton School, originally the Children's University School, is a private, coeducational college preparatory school in New York City and a member of both the Ivy Preparatory School League and the New York Interschool. The school is located ...

, Chairman of the Board of

Guild Hall of East Hampton Guild Hall of East Hampton in the incorporated Village of East Hampton on Long Island's East End, is one of the United States' first multidisciplinary cultural institutions. Opened in 1931, it was designed by architect Aymar Embury II and inclu ...

, Long Island, and a member of Bill Clinton's

President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) was an advisory committee to the President of the United States on cultural issues. It works directly with the White House and the three primary cultural agencies: the National End ...

Personal life

Menschel's wife Joyce is the namesake of the Joyce F. Menschel Photography Library at the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menschel, Robert Living people Bankers from New York City Businesspeople from New York City American investment bankers Goldman Sachs people Philanthropists from New York (state) New York (state) Democrats Menschel family Year of birth missing (living people) Martin J. Whitman School of Management alumni