Ralph D. DeNunzio

Ralph D. DeNunzio, the longtime Chief Executive Officer of Kidder, Peabody & Co. Incorporated and a prominent leader on Wall Street for many years, died peacefully on October 17, 2022 after a long illness. He was 90 years old.

Born in White Plains, NY, Mr. DeNunzio graduated from Fordham Preparatory School and Princeton University, from which he received a degree cum laude in Classics in 1953. In July of that year, he joined the training program at Kidder, Peabody , where he would spend his entire career. In 1977 he became President of the firm, and in 1980 he was named Chief Executive Officer, a post he held until 1987, shortly after the firm was acquired by General Electric & Company. During his tenure the firm grew dramatically, expanding internationally and in traditional investment banking and high net worth securities brokerage.

Mr. DeNunzio’s leadership roles extended beyond Kidder, Peabody. He was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange in 1971, the youngest person – at age 39 - to hold that position. At the NYSE he presided over a historic reorganization of the Board to evolve the Chairman’s position from a voluntary to full-time role. He also chaired the Securities Industry Task Force formed to spearhead legislation to protect individual investors. Its work resulted in the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). He was appointed by President Nixon, and subsequently by Presidents Carter and Reagan, to consecutive terms as a Director of SIPC.

Mr. DeNunzio served on numerous corporate and educational boards, including the Harris Corporation, AMP Incorporated, Nike and FedEx. He was a former trustee of his alma mater, Princeton University, and a past President of the Board of both Greenwich Country Day School and Deerfield Academy. He later gave generously to these institutions, with gifts to build DeNunzio Pool at Princeton and the DeNunzio Dormitory at Deerfield Academy. As a life-long sports enthusiast, he worked on the design and building of the Princeton Football Stadium, whose media press box is named in his honor. He and his family also endowed the Jean Ames DeNunzio Fund for Faculty Development at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, NY, the alma mater of his late wife, Jean.

Mr. DeNunzio married Jean Ames in 1954 and for 66 years they shared a loving, devoted partnership, focused on nurturing their family together (Mrs. DeNunzio died in January 2020). They resided in Riverside, CT and Vero Beach, FL. They were the parents of three boys: David (Jocelyne) of Greenwich, CT; Peter of New York, NY; and Thomas (Suzanne) DeNunzio of Warrick, RI, each of whom survives them, as do their eight grandchildren.

Visiting hours will take place at the Leo P. Gallagher home in Greenwich, CT and the funeral service will be held at St. Catherine’s of Siena Church in Riverside, CT on Friday, October 28th, 2022 at 10:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Ralph’s memory to the Princeton Varsity Club www.PrincetonVarsityClub.org.