JAY WILKINS

WILKINS--Jay. Jay Wilkins, president of Harvest Partners, a private equity firm, died Saturday in New York of cardiac arrest. He was 46. In the sixth grade, Jay won the title role in his school play, "Oliver," and continued to take the lead throughout his life, always asking for more, of himself and others. He created bonds of trust and loyalty among his friends, family, and colleagues that inspired them to do extraordinary things. He measured his success by the success he helped others achieve, and was happiest when sharing his time, advice, and experience. Jay's philosophy in business and in life was, "I'll see you and I'll raise you." He was a doer, a fixer, a problem solver, always multiple moves ahead, with the exceptional ability to lead others there, too. He had an uncanny talent for finding the salient point in every situation. He was the call you made when you could only make one call. Jay enjoyed a circle of friends he kept close from nursery school through college and business, but his best friends were his wife, McCartney - "Freckles" to Jay - their 12-year-old son, Jack, and their constant companion, Charlie the chihuahua; all of whom, thanks to Jay, are James Bond nuts, Phillies and Eagles fans, billiards sharks, and golf hustlers. In the first months of the Pandemic, Jay and Jack and McCartney hosted 14 friends and family in isolation; and every Saturday night, Jay taught Jack and his quarantined pals poker while sharing "Jay's Life Lessons" with chapter titles like "Persuasion," "Impact," and "Courage." John Campbell Wilkins, Jr., was born in Philadelphia, on January 26, 1977. His father, John Campbell, Sr., was a builder. His mother, Elizabeth, a nurse. He graduated from The Haverford School and earned his BS at Vanderbilt University where he was president of his Phi Kappa Psi pledge class and where he fell in love with his future wife, McCartney. They married in Nantucket in 2005 and settled in New York City where Jay began his career in finance with Donaldson, Lufkin, and Jenrette. Before joining Harvest in 2010, he was a Principal at DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and North Castle Partners, where he focused on leveraged buyout transactions. Jay served on the board of trustees of Haverford School for nine years and was a current member of the board of The Allen Stevenson School. He was a generous philanthropist with a particular focus on his alma mater, Vanderbilt University. He is survived by his wife, his teammate of 26 years, McCartney Sullivan Kay Wilkins; his son, John Campbell Wilkins III (Jack); his father, John Campbell Wilkins; his mother, Elizabeth Mahoney Wilkins; his brother, Andrew Charles Wilkins, and his sister, Lindsey Elizabeth Wilkins Press; his nephew, Michael Sheldon Press III; his niece, Campbell Wilkins Press; his mother-in- law, Jane Swann Kay; his father-in-law, Woodward Kay, his sister-in-law, Kennon Kay (Michael Jacober); his brother-in-law, Forde Kay; his nephew, Jules Jacober; and his niece, Rozy Jacober. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The Haverford School, Vanderbilt University, or The Allen-Stevenson School.