John Francis McDowell Jr.

Determined to Live in Style
There was never a time when John Francis McDowell Jr., did not care about living in style. "He got his first Polo golf shirt in elementary school, and he just thought it was the cat's meow," said his sister, Megan. "He'd buy Ralph Lauren cologne, boxer shorts, dress shirts, everything. And he loved Hermès ties."

For some years after college, Mr. McDowell was more intent on golf, skiing and partying than on making a career. But eventually, the connections he made caddying in the Hamptons helped land his dream job at Sandler O'Neill, an investment banking firm in the World Trade Center.

As his father tells it, Mr. McDowell was on the golf course six years ago, with a man who had previously interviewed him, when it began to rain. Mr. McDowell got him under a tree and kept talking about the job until the man finally said that if he would just stop talking, he could start Monday morning. "When he got the brokerage job, and he had to go to Brooks Brothers and buy a dress suit, he was on top of the world," his sister said.