The Ludwig Institute mourns the loss of its Board Member Stephen F. Bollenbach. Steve’s rare financial acumen and experience overseeing the finances of global corporations served the Ludwig Institute Board well. As chief executive of Hilton Hotels—the first person outside of the Hilton family to hold the position—he engineered the company’s international expansion. Taking that brand global was, he often said, his proudest professional accomplishment.
Prior to that, Steve had served as CFO for the Trump Organization and Walt Disney Co., where he negotiated the company’s acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC Inc., and helped create a media powerhouse that now includes theme parks, movie studios and television networks. Between those stints, he was CFO for a spell at the Holiday Corporation, which runs Holiday Inn motels.
Steve also worked for the Institute’s founder Daniel K. Ludwig for more than a decade, attending to his investments in the financial services industry and some of his other interests. He was introduced to the Ludwig organization by the Institute’s current Chairman, John Notter. In addition to his service to the Ludwig Institute, Steve sat on the Boards of several companies, including Time Warner. He was an avid traveler who loved to ski, drive sports cars, golf and collect wine. Steve established the Bollenbach Family Scholarship, which sends 15 deserving and financially challenged students each year to college.
His friendship, measured advice and steady hand will be missed by his colleagues on the Board and across the Ludwig community.