Home: Boston, Mass.
Degrees: B.S., electrical engineering and A.B. economics, Phi Beta Kappa, Union, 1958; M.B.A. (with distinction), Harvard Business School, 1960
Profession: President, Unicorn Corp., Boston, Mass. Previously founder and CEO, United Asset
Management Corp.
Career highlights: “When Norton Reamer speaks, people listen.” That's what the Boston Globe said when, in 1980, Reamer founded his own investment management company, United Asset Management Corporation. He served as chairman, president and CEO for 20 years. UAM was built, in part, through 50 acquisitions. When it was sold in 2000, UAM was a public company listed on the NYSE with $200 billion of assets under management, revenues
of $1 billion and a market capitalization of $1.5 billion.
A former president and CEO of Putnam Investments, he increased Putnam's assets five-fold during his tenure there.
Why I do the work I do: “Negotiating, once you get into it, is tremendous fun. The secret is to remember that your interests and the other person's interests are not necessarily opposed. You discover early on whether they want to make a deal. For those who are ready, all the obstacles, no matter how complex, can be overcome.
The idea of inventing solutions and making it happen
is as much fun as
anything I do.”
Union honors: Trustee since 1973, appointed
Life Trustee, 1989; Chairman of the Board,
1990-94; Alumni Gold Medal, 1983; Founders
Medal, 1995.
Legacy on campus: Dedicated the Murray and
Ruth Reamer Campus Center in honor of his parents;
a major contributor to the renovation and expansion
of Schaffer Library. Speaking about his years as a
trustee and volunteer: “It is an opportunity to do
something for a wonderful institution that is small enough so that even one person can make a real difference.”
Hobbies: Has a “farm” in Rhode Island that is his primary hobby.
Words to live by: “When people think you're a lost cause, you
shouldn't believe that. And when
people think you have all the answers, you'd better not believe that, either.”