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Thomas H. Lee (businessman)

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family, the son of Herbert C. Lee (formerly Leibowitz) and Mildred "Micki" Schiff Lee. His father worked for the Shoe Corporation of America, founded by his father-in-law Robert Schiff, and later was chairperson of Shoe Corporation of Canada and Clark International Corp. He had two brothers: Richard
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transactions than the leveraged buyouts favored by THL. Lee, who had limited his day-to-day involvement in the firm and had relocated to New York City, told staff that the parting was "very friendly," an account backed up by another insider, who described it as "completely friendly and amicable."
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for $ 1.7 billion. Lee was estimated to have made $ 900 million for himself and his investors from the sale. Quaker Oats would subsequently sell the company, which performed poorly under new management, three years later, for only $ 300 million. From 1974 through 2006,
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for $ 28 million. Lee reportedly put in less than $ 3 million and when the company was sold two years later for $ 210 million, he walked away with over $ 180 million in profits. The combined company was an early predecessor to what is now
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Museum of Jewish Heritage Announcement: "Thomas H. Lee, President and CEO of Thomas H. Lee Capital, Honored by the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust at its Tenth Annual Heritage
366: 614:, in 1995, after he made public the fact that he had an affair with a woman who was later tried for extortion. Lee's second wife was Ann Tenenbaum of Savannah, Georgia. Lee had five children. 1081: 960: 359: 900: 352: 1231: 182:(THL), the firm he founded in 1974, is among the oldest and largest private equity firms globally. At the time of his death, he was the managing partner of 1236: 1181: 1171: 1089: 694: 235: 994: 1196: 916: 170:(March 27, 1944 – February 23, 2023) was an American businessman, financier, and investor credited with being one of the early pioneers in 731: 478:
private equity funds and completed more than 100 investments, representing in excess of $ 125 billion of aggregate purchase price.
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as the firm was nearing completion of fundraising for its sixth and then-current private equity fund. In the same year, Lee formed
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Palm Beach Daily News: "Herbert Lee, philanthropist and Fellowship of Christians and Jews co-founder, dies" By William Kelly
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transaction catapulted Lee to prominence. Only eight months after buying the company, Lee took Snapple Beverages
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The final years of Lee's tenure at THL were marred to a certain extent by the firm's investment in
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in 1965, quickly going to work as an analyst in the institutional research department of
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On February 23, 2023, Lee died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his office in
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and in 1994, only two years after the original acquisition, Lee sold the company to
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CNN: "HOW NOT TO MAKE HEADLINES: TOM LEE'S VERY INTERESTING YEAR" By ANNE FAIRCLOTH
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In 1974, Lee founded a new investment firm to focus on acquiring companies through
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Lee donated $ 22 million to Harvard University. Lee served as a trustee of
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contracts that collapsed suddenly in October 2005, only months after its
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Lee is said to have begun investing with a $ 150,000 inheritance.
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Thomas H. Lee Partners Files Suit Against Former Refco Executives
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investors, while taking a friendlier approach than the so-called
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After ceding public attention to his competitors, most notably
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was firmly established among the top tier of a new class of
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in New York City. The next year, Lee went to work for the
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Harvard Gazette: "Thomas Lee Gives Harvard $ 22 Million"
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raised more than $ 22 billion of capital in six
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Lee attended 794: 537:, a private equity firm focused more on 489:company specializing in commodities and 1096: 1069:: The World's Billionaires – Thomas Lee 933:Founding Partner To Leave Thomas H. Lee 783: 1144: 695:Boston Globe: "HERBERT C. LEE Obituary 667:Sorkin, Andrew Ross (March 23, 2006). 666: 795:Copeland, James (February 24, 2023). 1237:Suicides by firearm in New York City 1182:21st-century American businesspeople 1172:20th-century American businesspeople 1197:American financial company founders 450:in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 13: 14: 1248: 1217:Businesspeople from New York City 1129: 949:Behind the split at Thomas H. Lee 529:In March 2006, Lee resigned from 861:"Thomas H. Lee Partners website" 605: 389:transactions. By the mid-1980s, 244: 1088:. June 13, 2008. Archived from 1074: 1047: 1032: 1017: 954: 942: 926: 910: 894: 878: 853: 770: 545: 434:marked the resurrection of the 296:and the venture capital bubble) 195: 837: 764: 704: 688: 660: 560:Whitney Museum of American Art 1: 844:Thomas H. Lee In Snapple Deal 653: 219:First National Bank of Boston 18:American investor (1944–2023) 525:Resignation and later career 501:shareholder lawsuit against 7: 10: 1253: 1212:Belmont Hill School alumni 1177:21st-century American Jews 1167:20th-century American Jews 1014:retrieved October 29, 2013 995:"Roden Crater Information" 757:December 20, 2015, at the 632:At the time of his death, 594:. He was a major donor to 378: 200:Lee was born in 1944 to a 564:Museum of Jewish Heritage 236:History of private equity 157: 127: 102: 92: 82: 67: 51: 32: 25: 1227:American philanthropists 641: 1187:American art collectors 455:Kohlberg Kravis Roberts 87:Private equity investor 1222:Harvard College alumni 1136:Thomas H. Lee Partners 1001:on September 10, 2013. 627:East Hampton, New York 592:Rockefeller University 531:Thomas H. Lee Partners 448:Drexel Burnham Lambert 446:, and the collapse of 442:takeover, the fall of 391:Thomas H. Lee Partners 381:Thomas H. Lee Partners 228:Thomas H. Lee Partners 180:Thomas H. Lee Partners 111:Thomas H. Lee Partners 1192:American billionaires 736:Palm Beach Daily News 556:Museum of Modern Art 1202:American financiers 1113:. February 24, 2023 967:, December 21, 2005 937:Wall Street Journal 834:, November 17, 1997 568:Brandeis University 535:Lee Equity Partners 260:(origins of modern 238:and venture capital 209:and graduated from 207:Belmont Hill School 184:Lee Equity Partners 118:Lee Equity Partners 97:Lee Equity Partners 62:New York City, U.S. 46:New York City, U.S. 1207:American investors 1138:(official website) 984:September 12, 1996 961:Lee denies discord 804:The New York Times 674:The New York Times 588:NYU Medical Center 580:Harvard University 576:Yeshiva University 572:Cardozo Law School 487:financial services 430:'s acquisition of 401:of the era (e.g., 342:COVID-19 recession 168:Thomas Haskell Lee 144:(divorced) 72:Harvard University 1092:on June 28, 2008. 1086:East Hampton Star 1056:December 11, 1995 1044:November 24, 2009 459:Snapple Beverages 432:Snapple Beverages 419:Sterling Jewelers 399:corporate raiders 377: 376: 176:leveraged buyouts 174:and specifically 165: 164: 55:February 23, 2023 1244: 1123: 1122: 1120: 1118: 1103: 1094: 1093: 1078: 1072: 1063: 1057: 1051: 1045: 1036: 1030: 1021: 1015: 1009: 1003: 1002: 997:. Archived from 991: 985: 979: 968: 958: 952: 946: 940: 930: 924: 923:, March 26, 2006 914: 908: 907:, August 9, 2007 898: 892: 882: 876: 875: 873: 871: 857: 851: 841: 835: 825: 816: 815: 813: 811: 800: 792: 781: 780: 777:Business Insider 768: 762: 748: 739: 729: 718: 708: 702: 692: 686: 685: 683: 681: 664: 612:Barbara Fish Lee 436:leveraged buyout 387:leveraged buyout 369: 362: 355: 294:leveraged buyout 278:leveraged buyout 248: 232: 231: 145: 58: 42: 40: 23: 22: 1252: 1251: 1247: 1246: 1245: 1243: 1242: 1241: 1142: 1141: 1132: 1127: 1126: 1116: 1114: 1105: 1104: 1097: 1080: 1079: 1075: 1064: 1060: 1052: 1048: 1037: 1033: 1022: 1018: 1010: 1006: 993: 992: 988: 980: 971: 959: 955: 947: 943: 931: 927: 915: 911: 899: 895: 883: 879: 869: 867: 859: 858: 854: 842: 838: 826: 819: 809: 807: 793: 784: 769: 765: 759:Wayback Machine 749: 742: 738:, April 5, 2012 730: 721: 709: 705: 701:, April 4, 2012 693: 689: 679: 677: 665: 661: 656: 644: 623:Hillary Clinton 608: 584:Intrepid Museum 548: 527: 515:Bank of America 457:& Co., the 407:Ronald Perelman 383: 373: 237: 230: 215:L.F. Rothschild 211:Harvard College 198: 153: 147: 143: 139: 123: 63: 60: 56: 47: 44: 38: 36: 28: 19: 12: 11: 5: 1250: 1240: 1239: 1234: 1229: 1224: 1219: 1214: 1209: 1204: 1199: 1194: 1189: 1184: 1179: 1174: 1169: 1164: 1159: 1154: 1140: 1139: 1131: 1130:External links 1128: 1125: 1124: 1095: 1073: 1071:September 2015 1058: 1046: 1031: 1016: 1004: 986: 969: 953: 941: 925: 921:New York Times 909: 905:New York Times 893: 889:New York Times 877: 852: 848:New York Times 836: 817: 782: 763: 740: 719: 703: 687: 658: 657: 655: 652: 643: 640: 607: 604: 552:Lincoln Center 547: 544: 539:growth capital 526: 523: 519:Grant Thornton 444:Michael Milken 395:private equity 379:Main article: 375: 374: 372: 371: 364: 357: 349: 346: 345: 337: 336: 330: 329: 325: 324: 318: 317: 310:dot-com bubble 305: 304: 298: 297: 289: 288: 282: 281: 273: 272: 266: 265: 262:private equity 257: 256: 250: 249: 241: 240: 229: 226: 197: 194: 172:private equity 163: 162: 159: 155: 154: 152: 151: 148: 141: 135: 134: 131: 129: 125: 124: 122: 121: 114: 106: 104: 103:Known for 100: 99: 94: 90: 89: 84: 80: 79: 69: 65: 64: 61: 59:(aged 78) 53: 49: 48: 45: 43:March 27, 1944 34: 30: 29: 26: 17: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1249: 1238: 1235: 1233: 1230: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1213: 1210: 1208: 1205: 1203: 1200: 1198: 1195: 1193: 1190: 1188: 1185: 1183: 1180: 1178: 1175: 1173: 1170: 1168: 1165: 1163: 1162:2023 suicides 1160: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1149: 1147: 1137: 1134: 1133: 1112: 1108: 1102: 1100: 1091: 1087: 1083: 1077: 1070: 1068: 1062: 1055: 1050: 1043: 1041: 1035: 1029:July 17, 1995 1028: 1026: 1020: 1013: 1008: 1000: 996: 990: 983: 978: 976: 974: 966: 962: 957: 950: 945: 938: 934: 929: 922: 918: 913: 906: 902: 897: 890: 886: 881: 866: 862: 856: 849: 845: 840: 833: 829: 824: 822: 806: 805: 799: 791: 789: 787: 778: 774: 767: 760: 756: 753: 747: 745: 737: 733: 728: 726: 724: 717:, May 7, 2009 716: 712: 707: 700: 696: 691: 676: 675: 670: 663: 659: 651: 650:, at age 78. 649: 639: 637: 636: 630: 628: 624: 620: 615: 613: 606:Personal life 603: 601: 597: 596:James Turrell 593: 589: 585: 581: 577: 573: 569: 565: 561: 557: 553: 543: 540: 536: 532: 522: 520: 516: 512: 511:Credit Suisse 508: 507:Goldman Sachs 505:, along with 504: 500: 496: 492: 488: 484: 479: 477: 476:institutional 473: 468: 464: 460: 456: 451: 449: 445: 441: 437: 433: 429: 425: 420: 416: 412: 408: 404: 400: 396: 392: 388: 382: 370: 365: 363: 358: 356: 351: 350: 348: 347: 343: 339: 338: 335: 332: 331: 327: 326: 323: 320: 319: 315: 314:credit crunch 311: 307: 306: 303: 300: 299: 295: 291: 290: 287: 284: 283: 279: 275: 274: 271: 268: 267: 263: 259: 258: 255: 254:Early history 252: 251: 247: 243: 242: 239: 234: 233: 225: 222: 220: 216: 212: 208: 203: 193: 191: 190: 185: 181: 177: 173: 169: 160: 156: 150:Ann Tenenbaum 149: 138: 133: 132: 130: 126: 119: 115: 112: 108: 107: 105: 101: 98: 95: 91: 88: 85: 81: 77: 73: 70: 66: 54: 50: 35: 31: 27:Thomas H. Lee 24: 21: 16: 1117:February 24, 1115:. Retrieved 1110: 1090:the original 1085: 1076: 1066: 1061: 1049: 1039: 1034: 1025:Boston Globe 1024: 1019: 1007: 999:the original 989: 965:BusinessWeek 964: 956: 944: 936: 928: 920: 912: 904: 896: 888: 880: 870:February 24, 868:. Retrieved 864: 855: 847: 839: 831: 810:February 24, 808:. Retrieved 802: 776: 771:Lee, Lloyd. 766: 735: 715:Boston Globe 714: 706: 699:Boston Globe 698: 690: 680:February 24, 678:. Retrieved 672: 662: 645: 633: 631: 619:Bill Clinton 616: 609: 600:Roden Crater 586:Foundation, 549: 546:Philanthropy 528: 499:class action 480: 452: 424:Signet Group 403:Nelson Peltz 384: 223: 199: 196:Early career 187: 167: 166: 137:Barbara Fish 57:(2023-02-23) 20: 15: 1157:2023 deaths 1152:1944 births 761:May 9, 2006 467:Quaker Oats 440:RJR Nabisco 415:Akron, Ohio 328:(expansion) 1146:Categories 1040:Boston.com 654:References 411:Carl Icahn 83:Occupation 39:1944-03-27 648:Manhattan 602:project. 334:The 2020s 322:The 2010s 302:The 2000s 286:The 1990s 270:The 1980s 116:Founding 109:Founding 68:Education 1111:BBC News 755:Archived 158:Children 93:Employer 865:Thl.com 752:Dinner" 491:futures 417:-based 312:to the 146:​ 142:​ 128:Spouses 120:in 2006 113:in 1974 1067:Forbes 939:, 2006 891:, 2005 850:, 1992 832:Forbes 635:Forbes 590:, and 582:, the 562:, the 558:, the 554:, the 517:, and 463:public 202:Jewish 189:Forbes 642:Death 503:Refco 483:Refco 280:boom) 140: 1119:2023 872:2023 812:2023 682:2023 621:and 485:, a 52:Died 33:Born 598:'s 574:at 495:IPO 472:THL 428:THL 1148:: 1109:. 1098:^ 1084:. 972:^ 963:, 935:, 919:, 903:, 887:, 863:. 846:, 830:, 820:^ 801:. 785:^ 775:. 743:^ 734:, 722:^ 713:, 697:, 671:. 570:, 566:, 521:. 513:, 509:, 409:, 405:, 178:. 76:BA 1121:. 874:. 814:. 779:. 684:. 368:e 361:t 354:v 344:) 340:( 316:) 308:( 292:( 276:( 264:) 161:5 78:) 74:( 41:) 37:(

Index

Harvard University
BA
Private equity investor
Lee Equity Partners
Thomas H. Lee Partners
Lee Equity Partners
Barbara Fish
private equity
leveraged buyouts
Thomas H. Lee Partners
Lee Equity Partners
Forbes
Jewish
Belmont Hill School
Harvard College
L.F. Rothschild
First National Bank of Boston
History of private equity
and venture capital


Early history
private equity
The 1980s
leveraged buyout
The 1990s
leveraged buyout
The 2000s
dot-com bubble
credit crunch
The 2010s
The 2020s

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