Legendary Financier & St. Luke's Alum Joins Lunch & Lead Series

On Thursday, Feb. 25, as part of St. Luke's Center for Leadership’s Lunch & Lead Speaker Series, Upper School students, faculty, and alumni had the opportunity to hear from the legendary financier Bob Salomon ’55, former St. Luke’s parent and grandparent, and former Chair of St. Luke’s Board of Trustees.

Salomon started at the school as a ninth grade student in 1951. During his four years on the Hilltop, he held many student leadership roles, including Student Council President, football captain, and Caduceus yearbook editor. He attended Amherst College and upon graduation, joined the US Trust Company of NY, eventually becoming their Chief Investment Officer. He worked at Salomon Brothers through the 80s and early 90s and then founded STI Management, LLC with his wife, Deborah. In the mid-90s, he moved to Merrill Lynch as their Mutual Fund Director.

Salomon was one of the inaugural members of St. Luke’s Board of Trustees, returning to the Hilltop in 1971 and serving terms as Secretary, Vice-President, and Chairman of the Board during his 18-year tenure. As a Trustee, Salomon was instrumental in the evolution of St. Luke’s School, leading several building projects (like the Middle School gym) and appointing numerous Heads of School. Salomon and his fellow trustees are widely credited with saving the school in the early 1970s when St. Luke’s was struggling financially.

Salomon received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006 and was inducted as a Trustee Emeritus in 2015.

During the Lunch & Lead, Salomon shared his experiences with students about his time on the Hilltop in the early 50s. When asked about what the curriculum was like when he attended St. Luke’s, he told students, “We had very few choices for classes. History, English, math, and a foreign language. It was a very small school, but the teachers were good, and we got a really good education. You’re very lucky to have the choices you have today.”

St. Luke's is a secular (non-religious) private school in New Canaan, CT, for grades 5-12. St. Luke's mission is an exceptional education that inspires a deep love of learning, a strong moral compass, the commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead. St. Luke's Center for Leadership advances our mission by helping students develop exceptional leadership ability. Learn more.