Named the winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Howard W. Lutnick '83 used his acceptance speech at a gala ceremony for the prestigious award to talk about life lessons learned at Haverford College.
When Howard W. Lutnick '83, the Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., and BGC Partners, Inc., stepped up to the podium to accept the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award at a gala in Palm Springs on November 14, he didn't talk about business or finance, or the way he had pioneered emerging technologies in the wholesale brokerage industry. Instead, he told the crowd:“I attended Haverford College …” and proceeded to explain what that has meant for him.
Lutnick, who was recognized for rebuilding Cantor Fitzgerald after nearly 700 of its employees in the company's World Trade Center headquarters were killed in the 9/11 attacks, continued with a story about his arrival at Haverford in 1979. Lutnick's mother had died of cancer during his last year of high school. One week into his freshman year, he learned that his father, who also had cancer, had died. But in that dark time came an act of kindness that would shape his life.“The president of Haverford College called me and said, your four years of college are free,” said Lutnick, who is co-vice chair of Haveford's Board of Managers.
“Each of you will get the opportunity, whether big or small, to help another human being,” said Lutnick, whose speech can be seen on YouTube.“If you miss that opportunity, and it's a blink of an eye … it will be gone.” .
