Richard Grasso
| Richard Grasso | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
July 26, 1946 Jackson Heights, New York |
| Known for | former chairman & chief executive of the (1995–2003) |
Richard A. "Dick" Grasso (born July 26, 1946 in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York) was chairman and chief executive of the from 1995 to 2003, the culmination of a career that began in 1968 when Grasso was hired by the Exchange as a floor clerk. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Grasso became the public face of the Exchange and was praised for his role in helping restart operations.
He later became embroiled in controversies and lawsuits about his allegedly excessive pay package and $140 million golden parachute, but on July 1, 2008, the New York State Court of Appeals dismissed all claims against Grasso.
Grasso was raised by his mother and two aunts in Jackson Heights, New York City since his father left the family when Richard was an infant. He graduated from Newtown High School, and attended Pace University for two years before enlisting in the Army. Two weeks after leaving the Army in 1968, Grasso became a clerk at the New York Stock Exchange.
Richard moved up rapidly in the ranks, becoming president of the exchange and then CEO in the early 1990s. As CEO, he was widely credited with cementing the NYSE's position as the preeminent U.S. stock market. Grasso also served as an advisory board member for the Yale School of Management.
On June 26, 1999, Reuters reported that Grasso met with Colombian rebels, the FARC, in an article entitled "NYSE Chief Meets Top Colombia Rebel Leader". The FARC is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department (on its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations since 1997) and is allegedly responsible for kidnappings and narcotics trafficking in order to bankroll their revolutionary activities (see: narcoterrorism).
...
Wikipedia