David Komansky

American businessman and CEO of Merrill Lynch (1939–2021)

David Komansky
Born
David Herman Komansky[1]

(1939-04-27)April 27, 1939[1]
Manhattan, New York, U.S.[1]
DiedSeptember 27, 2021(2021-09-27) (aged 82)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationBanker
Known forChief executive officer of Merrill Lynch & Company
Children2

David Herman Komansky (April 27, 1939 – September 27, 2021) was an American banker who was chairman and chief executive officer of Merrill Lynch & Company.[2][3][4]

Early life and education

Komansky was born in 1939 in Manhattan, the son of William Komansky (1901–1975),[5] a Ukrainian Jew who emigrated from Odesa as a child.[6] His mother, Mae Rachel Burke, was Irish Catholic.[7] His maternal grandparents emigrated from Ireland.[8]

He served in the U.S. Coast Guard, and then attended the University of Miami School of Business at the University of Miami in 1965.

Career

In 1968, Komansky joined Merrill Lynch as a broker. He became a regional director in 1981 and an executive vice president in 1990. Komansky served as a director and chief executive officer of Merrill Lynch from December 1996 to December 2002, and as a director, president and chief operating officer of the firm from January 1995 to December 1996. Komansky retired as chairman from Merrill Lynch in July 2003.[7]

He served as a director of BlackRock and as a member of the international advisory board of the British American Business Council. He was also a member of the board of directors of London-based WPP plc, a business conglomerate. In 2001, he was appointed to the board of trustees of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.[9]

Philanthropy

In July 2005, Komansky established the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City to make medical care more accessible, advanced, and supportive of the needs of young patients and their families.

Personal life

He was married and had two daughters, Jennifer and Elyssa.

Death

He died on September 27, 2021, in New York City, at age 82.[10]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c New York, New York, U.S., Birth Index, 1910–1965
  2. ^ "Komansky, CEO Who Led Merrill's Global Growth, Dies at 82". Bloomberg. September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  3. ^ "Leadership Lessons: An Interview with David H. Komansky, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.," Leaders Online, 4 October 2013.
  4. ^ "David H. Komansky Obituary (1939 - 2021) Westport News". Legacy.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "William Komansky". The Miami News. December 24, 1975. p. 4. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  6. ^ New York, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794–1943
  7. ^ a b Nguyen, Lananh (October 5, 2021). "David H. Komansky, Global-Minded Chief of Merrill Lynch, Dies at 82". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  8. ^ 1880 United States census
  9. ^ "Hospital Leadership - Board of Trustees". New York Presbyterian. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "David Komansky Obituary (1939 - 2021) - Westport, CT - Westport News". Legacy.com.
  • Appearances on C-SPAN
  • "David Komansky" obituary at Legacy.com