Gilbert Harrison

Gilbert Harrison was born on Christmas Day, 1940, in New York City. His family moved shortly thereafter to New Haven, Connecticut, where he was raised. He attended the Wharton School and then the School of Law, both at the University of Pennsylvania. His first job in law took him back to New York City where he practiced corporate and securities law. After moving to Philadelphia, he joined Blank Rome as an associate lawyer. Several years later, he and a fellow lawyer struck out on their own, founding Financo in the early 1970s. Their business rose steadily over time, becoming one of the largest boutique investment firms in the country. Financo was bought by Lehman Brothers in the mid-1980s, and Harrison began a difficult but intensive four-year period under Lehman—one that ended with his dissatisfaction with the banking firm and his eventual return to the helm of Financo. By the early 1990s, Financo, with Harrison at the controls, continued to be one of the true leaders in retail and other merchandising acquisitions. By 2020, after a long and successful run, Harrison sold his shares in Financo and started Harrison Group, providing financial services and consulting to its clients. The author resides on the Upper East Side of New York City, as well as in Southampton and Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife of more than fifty-five years. He has three children, six grandchildren, and remains busy as ever in business.