Steve Mandel, Class of 1974 Receives Founder’s Day Award
Last Friday, students, faculty and trustees applauded as Trustee and Investment Committee Chair Steve Mandel ‘74 received Exeter’ s annual Founder’s Day Award. After the crowd’s applause, Mandel went on to present a short speech in which he imparted the audience with six pieces of practical advice for the future. His speech was brief, but the practicality and relatability of his words, many believe, allowed his overall message to resound within the Exeter community.
The Founder’s Day Award Committee chooses the recipient of the award each year. The award is given to an associate of the Academy whose actions have greatly impacted the Exeter community.
“The Committee meets annually, in January, to select the Founder’s Day Award recipient. [The committee] considers a pool of nominees [and] there is just one recipient for this award each year,” Christine Fell, the assistant to the director of Alumni and Parent Relations, said.
Steve Mandel’s many years of contribution to this institution’s overall success reserved him a spot in the list of nominees, and his dedication and commitment to non sibi earned him the award. Principal Tom Hassan said, “The Founder’s Day Award is given to a member of our community who has demonstrated exceptional service to the Academy. In the case of Mandel, his diligent and thoughtful leadership as a trustee was beyond compare. He is an extraordinary person, with a deep commitment to his family, his work, to Exeter and the greater world.”
“It was nice recognition for lots of work over the last twenty years.”
Mandel graduated from Exeter in 1974 and went on to attend Dartmouth College for his undergraduate studies. After a successful four years at Dartmouth, Mandel continued his studies at Harvard University, where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Subsequently, Mandel worked at several leading companies and firms in the financial workforce, such as Mars & Co, Goldman Sachs and Tiger Management. Finally, in 1997, he founded his own series of management companies, Lone Pine Capital LLC.
Currently, Mandel serves as a part of the Harvard Business School’s Board of Dean’s Advisors. He also lends his talents to his other alma mater, Dartmouth, where he serves as a trustee. Mandel also occupies a leadership position in the nationwide organization Teach for America.
Still, throughout his life and even with his other commitments, Mandel has remained an integral part of Exeter’s success, both financial and beyond. Mandel has served the Academy over the past 20 years both as the investment committee chair and as a trustee. Mandel’s crucial role in many Academy policies earned him the respect of many of his colleagues. His decisions as a member of the board of trustees helped to guide the school at pivotal points in its history and his leadership as the chair of the investment committee has helped Exeter’s endowment flourish. Mandel is held in high regard by nearly all of those who have come to interact with him.
The trustees invited Mandel back to the Academy to receive his award and present an assembly speech to the student body. Mandel fulfilled the expectations of all and was able to give very practical and important advice in a friendly manner, which some students believe made his speech much more impactful.
Upper Gillian Chu said, “He kept his presentation pithy and to the point and managed to remind the students of things that sometimes we don't hear enough; for example, thanking those who have helped us along our way.”
Chu expanded on the significance of the award. “The significance of the Founder’s Day Award is that it’s gifted to someone who has positively influenced the school in their years post Exeter and made their school proud,” Chu said. “And I suppose he was eligible because he helped the school expand and manage the trustee board’s investment portfolio, which is a difficult job.”
Mandel urged students to, among other things, be trustworthy, choose their college wisely and maintain a good reputation. In particular, Mandel’s advice regarding college seemed particularly relevant to the students of Exeter, where the college process can cause stress for many. Mandel told students to “not choose their college based on prestige alone,” and to make sure that wherever they choose is the right fit for them.
Others commented on how his appearance at assembly showed the student body the accomplishments of alumni fueled by the Exeter education. Lower Timur Luke said, “The founder’s assembly also boosts school spirits by letting students hear these enormously successful alumni, which allows us to relate to and be inspired by them.”
This year’s Founder’s Day Assembly was generally held in higher regard than in years past. Many students felt that in previous years the assembly tended to drag on and take up more time than necessary, partially due to drawn out remarks by the recipient. For this reason, many students in attendance appreciated the brevity of Mandel’s remarks.
Mandel’s succinct and concise words helped some to better absorb his message, and were well received by the Academy community. Senior Lily Hayes said that she liked that Mandel’s speech was “rather brief.”
Mandel himself was grateful to be recognized for his efforts on behalf of the Exeter community, and was pleased to be invited back.
“It was nice recognition for lots of work over the last twenty years,” Mandel said. “There is a committee of alumni who decide on the award. I hope the students both appreciated a little humor and will remember at least a few of the six pieces of advice in the speech.”