John S Chalsty

Longtime Wall Street executive, civic leader and philanthropist John S. Chalsty, whose support of the arts and other causes extended to numerous Charleston organizations, from Spoleto Festival USA to the Medical University of South Carolina, died Nov. 12 2023. Born in South Africa, Chalsty was a rugby-playing physics and chemistry major as an undergraduate and graduate student in his homeland. He left for the United States around age 21 to earn a master’s degree at Harvard Business School, graduating in the top 3 percent of the class in 1957. His early career included a 12-year stint in the U.S. and Europe with Standard Oil Co., the predecessor to Exxon Mobil. After heading to Wall Street, he rose from research analyst to the corner office in 1986 when he was named CEO of Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette Inc., a global investment bank that included among its founders Sumter native and part-time Charleston resident Dick Jenrette. Chalsty became chairman in 1996 before stepping down four years later after more than 30 years with the firm. More recently, he owned Muirfield Capital Management. Chalsty was a principal and has served as Chairman of Muirfield Capital Management LLC, an asset management firm, since 2002. He served as Senior Advisor to Credit Suisse First Boston during 2001, was Chairman of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc., an investment banking firm, from 1996 through 2000 and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer from 1986 to 1996. Mr. Chalsty is a Trustee Emeritus of Columbia University and President of Lincoln Center Theatre. Chalsty is survived by his wife, two daughters, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.