The Faces of Success
Joe Gregory
B.B.A. Banking and Finance, 1974
Although he initially came to Hofstra as a non-business major, Joe Gregory quickly changed direction. He had planned to teach high school history, but after spending a summer working at Lehman Brothers - first as a messenger and then, during college, trading commercial paper - he decided finance was the right career choice for him.
Now president and chief operating officer of Lehman Brothers, a company where he has spent his entire career, Joe frequently offers advice to associates starting out at the firm.
The best piece of advice he can offer those entering the world of finance, he said, is, "Do the first thing you're asked to do well. No matter what it is, be a team player and pitch in. Second, the thing that can never be taken from us is our integrity and our character - we can choose to give it up."
Joe is particularly enthused about the Frank G. Zarb School of Business' newly built simulated trading room at C.V. Star Hall. "Your first day on the job can be overwhelming," he observed. "I think that for undergraduates, the ability to see what a live trading floor is like - especially in a world that is so technologically advanced - is critically important."
At the same time, Joe cites the importance of a liberal arts background. "I have a rich liberal arts education, which I think is very important for everybody, especially at the undergraduate level." Those who enter the business world with a liberal arts background have learned "how to think about things," not just formulas of finance.