Thomas Haskell Lee, an American businessman, financier, and investor, passed away on February 23, 2023. Lee was an influential figure in the growth and evolution of private equity and leveraged buyouts. He founded Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL) in 1974, which has grown to become one of the largest and most established private equity firms globally.
In 2006, after leaving THL, Lee established Lee Equity Partners and served as its managing partner until his passing. Lee attended Belmont Hill School and graduated from Harvard College in 1965.
He began his career as an analyst in the institutional research department of L.F. Rothschild in New York City before becoming a vice president at the First National Bank of Boston in 1973.
Lee was born in 1944 to Herbert C. Lee and Mildred “Micki” Schiff Lee, and he had two brothers, Richard S. Lee and Jonathan O. Lee. Herbert worked for the Shoe Corporation of America, which was founded by his father-in-law, Robert Schiff, and later became the chairperson of Shoe Corporation of Canada and Clark International Corp. Lee’s life and legacy continue to inspire and influence the private equity industry.
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Who are Thomas H Lee’s children?
Thomas H Lee was survived by five children, Jesse Lee, Nathan Lee, Rosalie Lee, Zach Lee, and Robbie Lee. He had two children, Zach and Robbie, with his first wife, Barbara Fish. Later, he married Ann Tenenbaum, with whom he had three children, Jesse, Nathan, and Rosalie.
Barbara Fish, Lee’s first wife, is a notable philanthropist who has been recognized as one of “Boston’s Most Powerful Thought Leaders” and one of “The 100 People Who Run This Town.” She is highly regarded for her dedication to charitable causes and her efforts to improve education, healthcare, and the arts in the Boston area. Lee’s children from both marriages continue to honor his legacy and make contributions in their own respective fields, carrying on the family’s tradition of philanthropy and entrepreneurship.