Lewis Mandell

February 6, 1943 - May 6, 2019

Dr. Lewis Mandell was a financial economist with a research specialization in financial literacy and a teaching specialization in investments and valuation at the graduate and undergraduate levels. He was a beloved mentor for many of his students as they entered their careers and as they made later career choices. He began his professional career at the University of Michigan where he directed the Surveys of Consumer Finances. Over his 44 year academic career, he held professorships at a number of leading universities, directed research for the Comptroller of the Currency and served as Dean of Business at Marquette University and the State University of New York at Buffalo. Lew is the author of 22 books and numerous articles. He spoke nationally and internationally on consumer and investor financial literacy and education—to be in the audience for one of Lew’s talks was a unique experience. He delivered his talks with wit and humor that was uniquely Lew. He hosted radio call-in programs on investments and entrepreneurship in two major radio markets and served as an outside director of a publicly traded corporation. He testified before Congress four times and was a guest on numerous nationally broadcast programs including the Today Show, CNN, NPR, A&E and Fox News. He served on numerous national and international nonprofit boards, and during his twelve years on Bainbridge Island he served on the boards of the Bainbridge Performing Arts, the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, and Congregation Kol Shalom. Most important, Lew will be remembered as a kind man, a very funny and wildly inventive Renaissance man, a man with wonderful outrageous ideas and a love of travel (the more exotic, the better). He will be missed so much by so many friends and colleagues from coast to coast. He is survived by his wife of 50 years Nancy, his daughter Alexis, and his brother Stan Mandell.