Sitting Down with Jamie Dimon ’74
A few weeks after his Browning graduation, Conor Gubbins ’19 had the rare opportunity to sit down with Jamie Dimon ’74, the Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase.
Jamie Dimon ’74 and Conor Gubbins ’19.
Before he became a titan of the financial services industry, Jamie Dimon was, like many who are reading this article, a Browning boy. Like most students from the last 50 years, he studied English with Michael Ingrisani, and like many of his fellow alumni, Mr. Dimon credits Browning with teaching him strong reading and writing skills. While today Jamie Dimon’s advice is sought by lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle, and Warren Buffet has referred to his annual reports as “the best annual letter in corporate America,” Mr. Dimon spent much of his formative years at 52 East 62nd Street.
From the moment Conor discovered Jamie Dimon was a Browning alumnus, he was determined to meet him. Thanks to Conor’s perseverance, despite the obvious challenges of scheduling time with one of the busiest men in America, he was finally able to meet Mr. Dimon on July 2, 2019, a few weeks after his Browning graduation.
Mr. Dimon had lots of advice for Conor, who is now a student at The Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University, telling him to “be smart, and read, read, read, read, read, and read. If you’re a Democrat, read smart Republicans and vice versa. Don’t become one of those knee-jerk people who lacks the ability to listen. The only way you can really get smart is by reading and talking to other people.”
“The only way you can really get smart is by reading and talking to other people.”
Mr. Dimon stressed the importance of hearing different perspectives and learning from others, telling Gubbins to, “Get to know people who are different from you. If the people you know are all like you and believe what you think, you’re not going to have a challenging idea.”
When asked about his time at Browning, Mr. Dimon mentioned he still has friends from his Browning days, including Jeremy Paul ’74. On their daily walks to Browning, the then high schoolers would “argue, in a good way, about politics and people and stuff like that.” One of their biggest disagreements was about how one should pursue their career. Mr. Dimon argued you should do something you like, and Mr. Paul argued you should do what you are good at (e.g., if you’re good at math, you should be an actuary).
Nearly 40 years later, Mr. Paul sent Mr. Dimon an email saying “you were right.” Clearly, following his passion led Mr. Dimon down the right path. When asked how he has been able to find a work-life balance, Mr. Dimon described his life as binary: he works and spends time with his family, and avoids black-tie functions and the golf course in favor of quality family time. Mr. Dimon stressed his belief that it is an individual’s job to “take care of [his or her] mind, body, spirit, soul, friends, and family.”
Mr. Dimon with classmates at Browning’s 2009 Alumni Reunion.
When asked what investment advice he would give a young person, Mr. Dimon recommended a book he read in the 10th grade, The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. While he does not believe young people need to be financial experts, Mr. Dimon feels they should know how to manage their affairs, save money, buy stock, and invest over time. Even if one relies on others for financial help, knowing “a little bit will help you be a far better investor.”
While speaking with Conor, Mr. Dimon emphasized that “it’s good to have a big heart” and that “we should be giving back and helping others in a way that makes sense,” highlighting the charitable work of the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation, which helps support educational and youth organizations among other areas, as well as JP Morgan Chase’s commitment to invest $1.75 billion in both U.S.-based and international organizations by 2023. By all accounts, Mr. Dimon embodies Browning’s mission—to foster the growth of courageous and compassionate men of intellect and integrity who aspire to contribute meaningfully to the world—and we are proud to call him an alumnus.
A special thank-you from Conor, who said: “I would like to thank Mr. Dimon for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with me. I had a truly one-of-a-kind experience meeting one of the people I most admire, and I am extremely grateful. I would also like to sincerely thank Ms. Judith Miller, Ms. Beth Tardalo, and Ms. Kathleen Will, without whom this meeting would not have happened.”
Thank you, Mr. Dimon, for inspiring us all. We look forward to seeing all that Conor and the next generation of Browning boys will accomplish.