Robert Towbin ’57

Robert Towbin ’57 passed away on November 18, 2021. Bob graduated from Bordentown (New Jersey) Military Institute and at Dartmouth majored in English, was a member of Pi Lambda Phi, and participated in The Players, Young Democrats, and Navy and Army ROTC. Gary Gilson ’57, his friend for 64 years, describes him as “an artist, a musician, an actor in college, a yachtsman, an investment banker.” Bob’s career was in the market in New York City. He was a senior partner of L.F. Rothschild, Unterberg, Towbin, a merchant and investment banking firm specializing in high-tech companies. Later he joined Stephens Inc. in investment and financial services. Bob headed Democrats for McGovern on Wall Street. During the Clinton administration he was appointed leader of the U.S.-Russia Investment Fund, designed to foster capitalism in post-Cold War Russia. Bob’s art collection in his Manhattan apartment gave him great satisfaction and he was also active as a novice painter. One of his great enthusiasms was his 94-foot sailing yacht, Sumurun, which he sailed in many races, including a trans-Atlantic event. His generosity led to his appointment as vice chair of the New York State Council on the Arts, where he befriended many artists and writers. He demonstrated his loyalty to Dartmouth by serving as an Alumni Fund class agent for 17 years. Bob leaves his wife, Lisa, daughters Minna ’83 and April, and sons Bram ’84, John, and Zach.