WILLIAM RICHTER

RICHTER--William. In Loving Memory of William L. "Bill" Richter. February 16, 1943 - August 1, 2025. Visionary Business Strategist, Devoted Patron of the Arts, Passionate Golfer, Beloved Father, Grandfather and Friend. Bill Richter, a prominent figure in the world of finance and a respected leader known for his sharp mind and unwavering work ethic passed away peacefully in his home on August 1, 2025, at the age of 82. He was born on February 16, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York. An only child, his parents and he moved to Mount Vernon, New York in 1946. He attended public schools in Mt. Vernon and was the first in his immediate family to graduate from college. Entering Harvard College in 1960 financed by a mix of scholarships and student loans from the University supplemented by parental contributions and his own earnings from part-time jobs during the school year and full-time summer jobs, Bill graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude in 1964. After receiving his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1966, he worked in corporate finance at D.H. Blair Securities Corp. in New York. Together with a partner, Gerald L. Cohen, they acquired control of Delanair, Inc., Nexus Industries, Inc., and The Equilink Corporation. Bill co-founded Cerberus Capital Management with Steve Feinberg in 1992 and since 1982, he has been President of Richter Investment Corp., a merchant bank, which from 1989 to 1999 owned and operated a NASD broker-dealer. From 1970 to 1982, he was Chairman of the Board of Nexus Industries, Inc., a manufacturer and retailer of imprinted licensed sportswear and a maker of athletic equipment. From 2003 until it was sold in 2016 to the Guardian Life Insurance Companies of America, he was Chairman of the Board of Avesis Incorporated, which managed a nationwide preferred provider network of dentists and optometrists. While his professional accomplishments were many, Bill's greatest pride was his family. He is survived by his wife Grace Richter and her son Preston, his son Ari and wife Alison Richter and his grandchildren Mia and Adam Richter. Bill was also a lifelong philanthropist and a devoted patron of the arts both personally and through the William L. Richter Family Foundation. He was one of the Bruce Museum's most generous and visionary benefactors. His extraordinary commitment to the Bruce has left an indelible mark on the Bruce museum and the surrounding community. Bill's transformative lead gift to the Campaign for the New Bruce created the beautiful William L. Richter Art Wing that has positioned the Bruce to become a premier cultural destination. His gift of a Picasso Still Life and a Matisse Self Portrait shortly after the opening added important Modern works to the collection. His philanthropy also extended to numerous universities, medical institutions and other foundations and was generous in amount and profound in scope. Bill was a passionate golfer since the age of 11, had played in twenty-five countries around the world and completed his lifelong bucket list goal by playing all 100 of the top-ranked courses in the United States. Accordingly, Bill split his time between Greenwich, Connecticut and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where he lived on a beautiful golf course. Bill's beautiful legacy and remarkable intellect will be remembered by all who knew him and he will be profoundly missed.