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William H. Donaldson
William Henry Donaldson.jpg
27th Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
In office
February 18, 2003 – June 30, 2005
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Harvey Pitt
Succeeded by Christopher Cox
2nd Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs
In office
November 26, 1973 – May 10, 1974
President Richard Nixon
Preceded by Curtis W. Tarr
Succeeded by Carlyle E. Maw
Personal details
Born (1931-06-02)June 2, 1931
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Died June 12, 2024(2024-06-12) (aged 93)
Political party Republican
Spouse Jane Phillips Donaldson
Children 3
Alma mater Yale University (BA)
Harvard University (MBA)
Occupation SEC chairman

William Henry Donaldson (June 2, 1931 – June 12, 2024) was an American businessman who was the 27th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), serving from February 2003 to June 2005. He served as Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs in the Nixon Administration, as a special adviser to Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, Chairman and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, and Chairman, President and CEO of Aetna. Donaldson founded Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

Early life and education

Donaldson attended both Yale University (B.A. 1953) and Harvard University (M.B.A. 1958). While he was a senior at Yale, he joined its Skull and Bones secret society.

Career

President George W. Bush presides over the swearing-in of William Donaldson
Donaldson is sworn in as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in February 2003

Donaldson began his career at G. H. Walker & Co., a banking and brokerage firm.

Donaldson returned to Yale and founded the Yale School of Management, where he served as dean and professor of management studies. Donaldson had a vision of Yale's management program forming students who could easily and seamlessly flow between public and private management roles. This was a binary vision, emphasizing private for profit corporations and government leadership positions, while ignoring leadership in various not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations].

His grand visions of balanced approaches were shattered when the first graduating class almost all took positions in business, almost none taking jobs with government. The main building of the school continues to display a life-size portrait of him and the premier leadership award at Yale School of Management is called "Donaldson Fellows". He also served in the United States Marine Corps.

Donaldson was Chairman of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 1999 to 2003.

Donaldson was a chartered financial analyst (CFA) charterholder and received a number of honorary degrees.

He was on the board of IEX.

Personal life and death

Donaldson was the father of three children and was married to Jane Phillips Donaldson. He died on June 12, 2024, at the age of 93.

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