A Moment in Bank History 

Gay at Chase

LGBTQ+ Bankers 

 

Times have changed. Many of our alumni may have started working in banking when revealing you were gay was a career damper, if not breaker. As society's attitudes have changed have changed, so has the banking industry's.

 
JPMorgan Chase states online that it has long been a supporter of equality in all forms, including for the LGBTQ+ community. Starting with its very first PRIDE business resource group in 1996, JPMC recently strengthened its commitment by creating the Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs and a full-time, dedicated team to deliver on its global LGBTQ+ agenda -- both for employees and customers. JPMC is a founding supporter of The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center,
 

In June, we asked Chase Alumni for stories about what it was like to be gay "way back when" or even now at one of the JPMC heritage banks. We only got one story – about a colleague -- but lest we think homosexuality doesn't remain a hot point for some, we got an angry email from one of our members – now a former member – asking why we would address such a question.

 

We welcome other stories.

 
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To read about Peter Lighte's experiences as a gay banker in China, Japan and London, and how he became the first single man to adopt a baby in China (with a reference from Chemical Chairman and CEO John McGillicuddy), click here.
 
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From George Renert: In 1987, my colleague and friend Jack Boulton, head of the Chase Art Collection, passed away from AIDS. At this time in our history, AIDS was  terrifying and socially on the fringes of society, rarely discussed in public.

     Jack's many colleagues and friends in the Art community held a memorial at a Soho gallery, with invitation by word of mouth. As the program opened, none other than David Rockefeller stepped to the podium giving an emotional, heartfelt eulogy.

     It was a culture change in the acceptance of the way Chase and New York embraced the victims and the tragedy of AIDS. I will never forget that day and the effect David's words and presence had on all of us.

 
 
 
 

 

 

  To comment or add a story about gays at the heritage

  banks of JPMorgan Chase, please write to  

  news@chasealum.org.