Some people can turn their dreams into reality through persistent dedication to working hard. Bill Donaldson came from modest means but worked his way to an Ivy League school. Bill Donaldson worked hard and turned his dream into a reality. Bill Donaldson has created a lasting impact on his family and the world of business alike. Bill Donaldson 's life is categorized by hard work, integrity, and always getting back up after being knocked down.
William Henry Donaldson was born on June 2nd, 1931 in Buffalo, New York to Guida and Eames Donaldson. He had a brother named Ted who was four years older than he was. He enjoyed playing hockey and starting businesses, two passions that would stick with him throughout his life. Bill grew up during the height of the Great Depression, and as a result, he had to make the most out of the situation he was in. From an early age, he learned the importance of human connections.
Starting in 1936, Bill attended the Nichols School in Buffalo, from kindergarten until high school. He worked extremely hard and in 1949, got accepted to Yale. While at Yale, he played varsity ice hockey and joined a secret society called
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H. Walker & Co. During his time at G. H. Walker & Co., Bill lived in an apartment with a close friend named Dan Lufkin. They had ideas of starting their own investment firm, as a result of them both working at one. They were aware that they could not start it alone, so they went to a friend who could help them: Dick Jenrette. Bill and Lufkin tried to persuade Jenrette to start a firm with them. At first, he refused, but he eventually agreed to help them. And so, DLJ was born. It had a broad range of services, such as sales and trading, investment and merchant banking, investment research, and venture capital just to name a few. DLJ was extremely successful and was acquired by Credit Suisse in 2001 for a staggering $11.5 billion in cash and