William H. Donaldson

William Henry Donaldson (June 2, 1931 – June 12, 2024) was an American businessman who was the 27th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), serving from February 2003 to June 2005. He served as Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs in the Nixon Administration, as a special adviser to Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, chairman and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, and chairman, President and CEO of Aetna. Donaldson founded Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.

Early life and education
Donaldson attended both Yale University (B.A. 1953) and Harvard University (M.B.A. 1958). While he was a senior at Yale, he joined its Skull and Bones secret society.

He served in the United States Marine Corps as a first lieutenant in Japan and Korea (1953–55), as a rifle platoon commander and later as aide-de-camp to the Commanding General of the 1st Provisional Marine Air Ground Task Force.

Career
Donaldson began his career at G. H. Walker & Co., a banking and brokerage firm.

Donaldson returned to Yale and founded the Yale School of Management, where he served as dean and professor of management studies. According to Lee Tom Perry, a former Brigham Young University professor of strategy and organizational behavior, Donaldson had a vision of Yale's management program forming students who could easily and seamlessly flow between public and private management roles. His grand visions of balanced approaches were shattered when the first graduating class almost all took positions in business, almost none taking jobs with government. The main building of the school continues to display a life-size portrait of him and the premier leadership award at Yale School of Management is called "Donaldson Fellows".

Donaldson was Chairman of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 1999 to 2003.

Donaldson was a chartered financial analyst (CFA) charterholder and received a number of honorary degrees.

He was on the board of IEX.

Personal life and death
Donaldson was the father of three children and was married to Jane Phillips Donaldson. He died on June 12, 2024, at the age of 93.