Tag Archives: Muriel Siebert & Co.

Muriel Siebert Muriel Siebert & Co. for being a notable first with a worthy second act Muriel Siebert discovered an alarming trend while serving as New York state’s first female superintendent of banks (or, as she says, the SOB). Siebert, who had taken a break from her eponymous brokerage house to run the state’s banking system from 1977 to 1982, received countless letters from constituents complaining about their financial woes. “They were maxing out their credit cards and using check cashers instead of bank accounts,” she says. “The people who could least afford it were paying the most.” In an effort to educate young people about money matters, Siebert has spent the past few years, and nearly $1 million from her own pocketbook, developing a personal finance course for high school students. The 21-lesson program explains the basics, from balancing a checkbook to reading a pay stub. It is now required in public high schools in New York City and is being reviewed by dozens of school boards throughout the country. Diane Bines, who teaches the course at Cardozo High in Bayside, N.Y., says it has changed the way her students think about their finances. “Before, they didn’t think twice before spending all their money on gum,” she says. “Now they know where the money is going because they see it on paper.” Siebert, best known as the first woman to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, says her latest venture has proved more gratifying than her other firsts. “Those are things I did for myself because I wanted to be treated as an equal to men,” she says. “With this program, I can help millions of people.” Nadine Heintz Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart Omnimedia because she took one for the team Richard Branson, Virgin Group because he’s game for anything. In fact, everything. Michael Dell, Dell Computer for being brilliantly straightforward Jim Sinegal, Costco because who knew a big-box chain could have a generous soul? Diane von Furstenberg, Diane von Furstenberg Studio for staging an elegant comeback Julie Azuma, Different Roads to Learning for offering hope and help to the parents of autistic children Fritz Maytag, Anchor Brewing for setting limits Ray Kurzweil, Kurzweil Technologies and other companies because he is Edison’s rightful heir Craig Newmark, Craigslist for putting the free in free markets Jack Mitchell, Mitchells/Richards because his family business makes an art of customer service Frank Robinson, Robinson Helicopter for whipping an entire industry into shape Mark Melton, Melton Franchise Systems for giving immigrants their shot at the American Dream Michelle Cardinal & Tim O’Leary, Cmedia and Respond2 for rewriting the rules for husband-and-wife teams Mike Lazaridis, Research in Motion because someone had to stand up for all those frustrated engineers Trip Hawkins, Electronics Arts and Digital Chocolate for still scrapping Warren Brown, Cake Love and Love Cafe because only in America will someone quit a secure job as a lawyer to start a bakery Muriel Siebert, Muriel Siebert & Co. for being a notable first with a worthy second act Chuck Porter, Crispin, Porter + Bogusky for verging on reckless Katrina Markoff, Vosges Haut for setting a completely unreasonable goal for her business Barry Steinberg & Craig Sumerel, Direct Tire and Auto Service for showing the power of the peer group Victoria Parham, Virtual Support Services for serving as a mentor to military spouses Tom LaTour, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants for staying at fleabag hotels so that we don’t have to Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams, Mitchell Gold for creating a true comfort zone Izzy & Coco Tihanyi, Surf Diva for kicking sand in the face of conventional wisdom Tony Lee, Ring Masters for saving 16 jobs, including his own Rueben Martinez, Libreria Martinez Books and Art Galleries for simultaneously building a business and nurturing Latino culture