Donald Glickman

GLICKMAN--Donald. After a brief and valiant struggle against liver cancer, Donald Glickman, age 89, succumbed to the disease on April 3, 2023, at his home in Palm Beach, FL. Donald Glickman was born in Brooklyn, NY on May 29, 1933, to Loeb and Minnie Glickman. A graduate of Stuyvesant High School, he attended Cornell University under ROTC and Regents scholarships. After earning a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree, he received a commission in the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant where he served in the 7th Army, 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment in Europe. He remained in the Army through the Reserves and National Guard when he finally resigned his commission as a Captain. His time in service was formative and cemented his lifelong passion for military history and penchant for sharing Army stories. Following active duty, Donald worked at Electric Boat in New London, CT on the nuclear submarine program before attending Harvard Business School where he earned an MBA in 1960 and was elected a George F. Baker Scholar. After business school, Donald headed to New York to work at Lehman Brothers. From there, his career took many diverse paths from Compagnie Financiere de Suez to commercial banking at the First National Bank of Chicago where he served for 15 years in leadership roles, including as Senior Vice President and Regional Director for the Eastern United States. While at First Chicago, he loved working with a myriad of businesses while becoming an unconventional but effective mentor to younger bankers. Donald aptly discerned talent and character, and once past his often gruff demeanor, colleagues found a wise and loyal advisor. In 1986, Donald and his friend, Peter J. Solomon, bought a controlling interest in Monro Muffler Brake Company, which they transformed from a regional, privately-owned business to a publicly traded company. Until his death, Donald served on Monro’s board of directors as the chair of the finance committee. In 1992, with former U.S. Naval Secretary, John F. Lehman, and George A. Sawyer, he co-founded the private equity firm J.F. Lehman & Co. where he remained a partner until his death. Donald was a brilliant financier and industrialist. At J.F Lehman & Co, Donald helped build the company into one of the leading aerospace, defense, marine and environmental sector-focused private equity investors in the United States. The professional relationships that turned into longstanding friendships over the course of his long career enriched his life and were a source of great pride and support. After marrying Gretchen Long in 1963, the couple raised three children in New York and the Berkshires. In 1991, his middle child, Priscilla, died in a bicycling accident at the age of 21. He met that tragedy with his customary stoic resolve. He remarried in 1997 to Mia Martin, who has deep roots in Middleburg. Together they shared a love of field sports, travel and entertaining, especially at their farm in Middleburg, Virginia where they took great pleasure in restoring their historic house, “Rockburn Farm”. Together they supported various conservation efforts and local charitable causes. He is survived by his wife, Mia, his two children, Victoria Glickman Hodgkins and Douglas Long Glickman, daughter-in-law, Jolie Rockett Glickman, five grandchildren, and his former wife. Donald had a wide range of interests that he pursued vigorously. An avid historian, he consumed books at an alarming rate, mostly history and military history, but also biography and the occasional spy novel. His retention and recall of a book’s details was legendary. An excellent cook, his love of food extended to its cultivation, production, and preparation. Trained in classic Northern Italian techniques, he was equally happy with a chef’s knife or mezzaluna in his hands. A warm host, many friends have fond memories of interesting evenings spent in his company. While he enjoyed skiing and driving, it was field sports about which he was most impassioned. He went to many striking landscapes around the world from the moors of Scotland to the fields in Uruguay. For him, it was always the quality of the marksmanship rather than score of the “bag” that mattered. A high-flying overhead shot on a windy day was a prize to savor. Donald lived a life of honor and integrity weathering the bitter with the sweet with equal poise and cutting sense of humor. A raconteur and fan of bawdy jokes, his expansive intelligence and zest for life will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in his memory to the Priscilla Glickman ‘92 Memorial Prize, c/o The Trustees of Princeton University, PO Box 5357, Princeton, NJ 08543.

Published by New York Times on Apr. 18, 2023.