The month of May is American Jewish History Month, so for this entire month I will continue share the stories of important Jewish figures in American finance. Today, I will discuss Gary Cohn who is an American financier and business leader known for his tenure as President and COO of Goldman Sachs and as Director of the National Economic Council under President Donald Trump.
Cohn was born on August 27, 1960, in Cleveland, Ohio, and was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, which shaped his approach to learning and problem-solving.
Cohn earned a BA from American University in 1982. He started his career at U.S. Steel. After a few months, he left U.S. Steel and became an options dealer in the New York Mercantile Exchange. He taught himself the basics of options by reading about it in the days between meeting the hiring manager and joining the New York Mercantile Exchange. In 1990, he joined Goldman Sachs, rising through the ranks to become President and COO in 2006. He played a key role in the firm's Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodities division.
In 2017, Cohn was appointed Director of the National Economic Council, where he influenced tax and regulatory policy. He managed the administration's economic policy agenda. After leaving the White House, he became Vice Chairman of IBM and invested in cybersecurity, blockchain, and medical technology.
Cohn is actively involved in philanthropy, particularly in education and healthcare, serving on boards such as NYU Langone Health and he gives to Hillel International.