New York Mourns Loss of Versatile Leader Richard Parsons

Last week, New York bid farewell to Richard Parsons, a man known as one of the city's "wise men. " At 76, Parsons, born and raised in Brooklyn, was a multifaceted figure who touched various aspects of society. From basketball star at the University of Hawaii to law degree holder from Albany Law School in 1971, Parsons had a diverse background. In his early career, he served as an aide to Governor and then-Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Moving to the private sector, Parsons saw many top positions. He was Chief Operating Officer (COO) and then CEO of Dime Savings Bank. Later, he became the CEO of Time Warner and the chairman of Citigroup, earning a reputation for steering major companies through challenging times. Parsons played key roles in stabilizing CBS after a tumultuous leadership change and helped the Los Angeles Clippers recover from a racism controversy involving Donald Sterling. Beyond business, Parsons made significant philanthropic contributions. He chaired the boards of the Jazz Foundation of America and the Apollo Theater Foundation, and co-chaired the advisory board of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Parsons also served on the transition teams for New York City Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg, as well as President Barack Obama. Alongside his friend Ronald Lauder, Parsons worked to maintain race-blind admissions tests for New York City's elite public high schools and to boost the admission of black and Hispanic students. They also launched the Equity Alliance, a fund supporting ventures by women and people of color. The city and the nation greatly benefited from Parsons' graceful leadership in both private and public spheres. Rest in peace.