Dear Pitzer Community,
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Pitzer Trustee Stuart M. Finkelstein P’16. Stu, father of alumna Julia Finkelstein ’16, died on Saturday, July 7. He is survived by his wife, Beth, and their two children, Sam and Julia.
Stu was one of the most lively and wonderful human beings I have had the honor of knowing. A member of the Board of Trustees since 2014, he served as the chair of our Nominating and Governance Committee and a member of the Advancement and Communications, Student Affairs, and Executive committees. He never hesitated to participate in any of Career Services’ events. Stu actively mentored and provided professional references for Pitzer students interested in pursuing law careers.
Stu was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates in New York and co-head of the firm’s global tax group. He represented clients on a wide range of tax matters, with particular emphasis on mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He also devoted a significant amount of time to advising troubled companies, both in and out of bankruptcy. He served on the advisory council of Hearts of Gold, Inc., and was a former board member with the Legal Aid Society’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. He was named among the nation’s top tax practitioners. He earned his BA in business administration and JD from the University of Michigan.
Suzanne and I are devastated to hear the shocking news of Stu’s passing. We will always appreciate Stu for his devoted friendship and unwavering support and will miss his infectious enthusiasm for Pitzer College.
The funeral will be held tomorrow, July 10, at 12:30 p.m. at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th Street in New York. I, along with several trustees, will be attending the service on behalf of the College and sending our collective condolences to Beth, Julia, Sam and the entire Finkelstein family.
Sincerely,
Melvin L. Oliver
President
