JOEL COHEN

COHEN--Joel J. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joel J. Cohen. He was 85. Joel was a leader in his professional life, his community and his family. He spent over 45 years on Wall Street as an attorney, investment banker and advisor. An innovative and pioneering Mergers & Acquisitions lawyer and banker, Joel joined Davis, Polk & Wardwell in 1963, later becoming a Partner and Chairman of the Mergers & Acquisitions Department. While there, he led several of the largest takeovers up to that time including representing RJ Reynolds on its acquisition of Nabisco and General Motors on its acquisition of Hughes Aerospace. After retiring from Davis, Polk in 1987, he was appointed General Counsel to the Presidential Task Force on Market Mechanisms (the "Brady Commission") investigating the causes of the stock market crash of October 1987. He later began a "second career" as an investment banker joining Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where he was Co-Head of Global M&A. In 2001, after the sale of DLJ, he co- founded and was Chairman and Co- CEO of the boutique investment banking firm Sagent Advisors, from which he ultimately retired in 2009. Joel served on several public company Boards. He served on the Board of Chubb Corporation for 25 years including as Lead Director for several years and as Non- Executive Chairman for one year. He was also a long- serving member of the Boards of AP Moller-Maersk and Borders Group. Joel was an active participant in the Jewish community, first joining the Board of Park Avenue Synagogue and later becoming its Chairman (1981-1984). He also worked with a small group to organize and support Chabad synagogues in East Hampton and Southampton. Joel and his wife Lillian recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They enjoyed travel, theater, and the many blessings of a life well lived. And when not working, he was always on the move - running, swimming, biking and walking everywhere (10,000 steps was just a warm up for him). He took his family to see virtually every castle, museum and tourist site available on family vacations. He also loved cigars, the Yankees and the Jets. Later in life, Joel became a doting grandfather and philanthropist as well as an avid and skilled gardener. Joel Cohen was born in Brooklyn February 8, 1938 to David and Eva Cohen. He graduated CUNY - Baruch College in 1959 and later became Chairman of the Board there. In 1962 he graduated from Harvard Law School, where he met his wife Lillian. He is survived by his wife Lillian, brother Neal (Sheila), his children Peter (Ellen), Andrew (Lisa) and Nancy (Ram), eight grandchildren, Eve, Jane, Asher, Ezra, Reuben, Adeline, Elan and Isla, nephews Seth, Micah, Steven (Z''L) and niece, Audra. For those who would like to make a gift in his memory, the family requests that donations be made to: Baruch College Fund/Joel & Lillian Cohen Soft Skills Fund: www.baruch cuny.edu/donate The funeral took place July 12, 2023.