Brendan Dolan

A Lifelong Quarterback

The prudent know well: never do business with friends. Brendan Dolan, however, only did business with friends. He merrily ran roughshod over that bright divide, saying, "I don't have clients, I only have friends."

He must have been doing something right: at 37, he was a senior vice president at Carr Futures, a successful energy broker who traveled worldwide for clients whom he easily befriended, with his trademark smile and wink.

In high school Mr. Dolan had been a quarterback, and he played that position for the rest of his life. He called the shots, gathering his siblings and parents together in vacation houses, throwing job opportunities at loyal buddies. He encouraged Carr brokers to move their young families to his town, Glen Rock, N.J. Who wants to live so close to the boss? They did. On summer weekends, the gang from work would hang out at Brendan and Stacey's, for a swim and a barbecue.

Joking, flipping burgers, jumping in the pool with Samantha, 2, and Sarah, 4, Mr. Dolan reveled in his life at home. He would tell his older brother Charles, who is still single: "Forget business. You don't get it yet. Work will never bring you the kind of satisfaction you'll have from a family."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on December 29, 2001.


Brendan Dolan, 37, icon in business world

In the world of futures trading, where multimillion-dollar contracts are executed in seconds, veteran broker Brendan Dolan took the time to trade more than talk of crude oil and diesel fuel prices with clients.

"For the most part Brendan didn't have clients," explained his brother, Charles Dolan of Manhattan. "He had friends. He built a lot of very strong relationships over the years and they remained friends long after they moved onto other jobs."

The 37-year-old Glen Rock resident was attending a meeting at the 92nd-floor offices of Carr Futures Inc. at One World Trade Center when a hijacked American Airlines jet slammed into the tower. He is among the missing victims of the terrorist attack.

As vice president in charge of the energy group at Carr Futures, a Chicago-based company, Mr. Dolan's friends included powerful executives from major corporations.

But they also included more than a few fresh-faced kids straight out of school and other jobs, hoping to get a start in futures trading.

"One of the things I remember when I look back at Brendan is that he would not only help you get into the business but guide you and protect you," said Lee Taylor of Westfield, a senior vice president for Prebon Yamane brokerage firm and a friend since college. "He probably helped about a dozen of us get into the business," Taylor said. "He seemed to be an icon to many of us."

Mr. Nolan was born and raised in New York City. He was quarterback at Fordham Prep High School in the Bronx and played football and rugby at the University of Rochester.

Mr. Nolan's work required frequent international travel, so he treasured time spent at home with his wife, Stacey, and daughters Sarah Danielle, 41/2, and Samantha Nicole, 2, his brother said.

Mr. Dolan also is survived by his parents Felix Brendan and Mary Dolan of Crestwood, N.Y.; and siblings Thomas, Brian and Ann, all of Manhattan. Mr. Dolan's family will receive friends today from 10 a.m. to noon at the Vander Plaat Colonial Home, 13-31 Saddle River Rd., Fair Lawn. A Celebration of Life and Mass of the Resurrection will follow at 1 p.m. at St. Catherine's Roman Catholic Church, 905 Maple Ave., Glen Rock.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Family of Brendan Dolan, c/o Glen Rock Savings Bank, P.O. Box 128, Glen Rock, N.J. 07452.