Arthur Ross (philanthropist)

Arthur Ross (November 25, 1910 – September 10, 2007) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was known for his philanthropic contributions to the arts and environmental causes, including New York City's Central Park, specifically the Arthur Ross Pinetum.

Arthur Ross was born in Manhattan, New York City, on November 25, 1910. Ross originally enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. However, he transferred to Columbia University during the Great Depression to support his family. He held a number of jobs during the Depression and his college years, including a shirt salesman at Macy's.

Ross joined the United States Navy during World War II. He served as a lieutenant commander. His tours of duty took him to Ecuador and Panama for several years.

Arthur Ross began his career in 1932 at Sutro Brothers & Company, a Wall Street brokerage firm. He left the company in 1938 and joined Central National Corporation the same year. Central National Corporation was an investment banking subsidiary of Gottesman & Company, a privately held company specializing in chemicals and wood pulp. Ross stayed at Central National and rose to become Vice President of the combined parent company, now called Central National-Gottesman Inc., in 1974.

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