Thomas Lee

Lee founded his buyout shop in 1974, drawing on an inheritance and a family loan, after working at L.F. Rothschild and First National Bank of Boston. What was then known as Thomas H. Lee Partners helped develop the traditional playbook for leveraged buyouts. Lee left his namesake firm in 2006, and the company later renamed itself THL Partners. Lee continued to invest through a second venture, Lee Equity Partners. Grandfather founded retail outfit Shoe Corporation of America in 1905. Tom attended Harvard, worked at First National Bank of Boston. Founded private equity shop Thomas H. Lee Co. 1974. Bought Snapple for $140 million in 1992; sold to Quaker Oats for $2 billion 1994. Left Thomas H. Lee Co. 2006, founded Lee Equity Partners; owns stakes in Dunkin' Donuts, Warner Music. Bought teen apparel outfit Deb Shops last October; eyeing financial services companies. Manages fund of hedge funds; Blue Star up 22% a year net of fees since July 2003. Art connoisseur sits on boards of Whitney, Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center, NYU Medical Center. Mr. Lee was been responsible for investing in excess of $10 billion of capital in more than 100 transactions. Mr. Lee served as a director of numerous public and private companies, including Aimbridge Hospitality, The Edelman Financial Group, Papa Murphy’s International, Mid Cap Financial, General Nutrition Companies, Inc., Metris Companies, Inc., Playtex Products, Inc., Snapple Beverage Corp., Vail Resorts, Inc., Vertis Holdings, Inc., Warner Music Group Corp., and Wyndham International, Inc., among others. In addition, Mr. Lee is currently a Trustee of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of Modern Art, Langone NYU Medical Center, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, among other civic and charitable organizations. He also serves on the Executive Committee for Harvard University's Committee on University Resources. Mr. Lee received an A.B. in Economics from Harvard College.Mr. Lee is survived by his wife, Ann; five children, including two from a previous marriage; two brothers; and several grandchildren.