Richard B Fisher
Encyclopedia
Richard B. "Dick" Fisher (1936 – December 16, 2004) was chairman emeritus of the securities firm Morgan Stanley
.
on a full scholarship
.
Walking on crutch
es for a number of years, Fisher built up his upper body strength. He graduated from Penn Charter in 1953 at the age of 16 having earned a varsity letter
in wrestling
. In 1957, he graduated from Princeton University
where he majored in history
and philosophy
.
In 1962 he received his Master's of Business Administration from Harvard Business School
graduating as a Baker Scholar. Between his first and second year in that program, he worked at Morgan Stanley's New York City
headquarters as an intern
.
In 1970, Fisher was elected a managing director and partner
at Morgan Stanley. He became president of the firm in 1984 and chairman in 1991. On February 5, 1997, he helped negotiate the $10 billion sale of the firm to Dean Witter, Discover & Co. (a.k.a. Dean Witter Reynolds
), the spun off financial services business of Sears Roebuck.
Becoming Chairman Emeritus of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. in 2000, Fisher was removed from daily decision-making processes but continued to work with clients and assist with special issues, a position that allowed him to focus the majority of his energies on his longtime interests in education and the arts. He became a director of the New York Stock Exchange
, a trustee
of Bard College
and chairman of the boards of Rockefeller University
and the Urban Institute
. He also served as chairman of the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Endowment Trust and the Tate Gallery
American Fund as well as a trustee of Classroom, Inc. (a nonprofit organization that provides educational software to middle schools).
, Robert Motherwell
and Franz Kline
in his collection of abstract expressionists.
The Frank Gehry
-designed Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
at Bard College
is named for him.
He died of prostate cancer
at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
in New York
. He was survived by his wife of seven years, Jeanne Donovan Fisher of New York; three children from his first marriage (to Emily Hargroves Fisher): Richard Britton Fisher of Brooklyn, Catherine Curtis Fisher of Monterey, Massachusetts, and Alexander Dylan Fisher of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; and a brother, David Fisher of Annapolis.
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
.
Early life
Fisher was born in Philadelphia. In 1944 at age 8, Dick contracted a severe case of polio. Doctors told his parents that Fisher should be put in a trade school where he could learn to do things with his hands. One doctor saw Fisher's potential, and even though his parents had little money, he was able to attend the William Penn Charter SchoolWilliam Penn Charter School
William Penn Charter School is an independent school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1689 by William Penn...
on a full scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
.
Walking on crutch
Crutch
Crutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...
es for a number of years, Fisher built up his upper body strength. He graduated from Penn Charter in 1953 at the age of 16 having earned a varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
. In 1957, he graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
where he majored in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Career
Fisher worked briefly as a trainee at the Insurance Company of North America, in Philadelphia, then took a job in retail sales at Eastman Dillon, Union Securities and Co.In 1962 he received his Master's of Business Administration from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
graduating as a Baker Scholar. Between his first and second year in that program, he worked at Morgan Stanley's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
headquarters as an intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
.
In 1970, Fisher was elected a managing director and partner
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
at Morgan Stanley. He became president of the firm in 1984 and chairman in 1991. On February 5, 1997, he helped negotiate the $10 billion sale of the firm to Dean Witter, Discover & Co. (a.k.a. Dean Witter Reynolds
Dean Witter Reynolds
Dean Witter Reynolds was an American stock brokerage and securities firm catering to retail clients. Prior to its acquisition, it was among the largest retail firms in the securities industry with over 9,000 account executives and was among the largest members of the New York Stock Exchange...
), the spun off financial services business of Sears Roebuck.
Becoming Chairman Emeritus of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. in 2000, Fisher was removed from daily decision-making processes but continued to work with clients and assist with special issues, a position that allowed him to focus the majority of his energies on his longtime interests in education and the arts. He became a director of the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
, a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
and chairman of the boards of Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
and the Urban Institute
Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that carries out nonpartisan economic and social policy research, collects data, evaluates social programs, educates the public on key domestic issues, and provides advice and technical assistance to developing governments abroad...
. He also served as chairman of the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, United States, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance....
Endowment Trust and the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
American Fund as well as a trustee of Classroom, Inc. (a nonprofit organization that provides educational software to middle schools).
Personal life
Fisher was a noted art collector, with paintings by Willem de KooningWillem de Kooning
Willem de Kooning was a Dutch American abstract expressionist artist who was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands....
, Robert Motherwell
Robert Motherwell
Robert Motherwell American painter, printmaker and editor. He was one of the youngest of the New York School , which also included Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and Philip Guston....
and Franz Kline
Franz Kline
Franz Jozef Kline was an American painter mainly associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement centered around New York in the 1940s and 1950s. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and attended Girard College, an academy in Philadelphia for fatherless boys...
in his collection of abstract expressionists.
The Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, is a Canadian American Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, California.His buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions...
-designed Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College is a performance hall located in New York's Hudson Valley. The center provides audiences with performances and programs in orchestral, chamber, and jazz music and theater, dance, and opera by American and international artists...
at Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
is named for him.
He died of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was survived by his wife of seven years, Jeanne Donovan Fisher of New York; three children from his first marriage (to Emily Hargroves Fisher): Richard Britton Fisher of Brooklyn, Catherine Curtis Fisher of Monterey, Massachusetts, and Alexander Dylan Fisher of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; and a brother, David Fisher of Annapolis.