John Carroll Quinn
Died January 14, 2013
John’s life confirmed that you can go home again. Born in Rapid City, SD, after a life of travel around the world, he spent from 2006 until his death as a senior professor and administrator at the Rapid City headquarters of National American University after a diverse and interesting commercial career in many countries around the world. In his later years he also taught courses in law and history at numerous colleges and universities in and around Rapid City.
He prepared for Yale at Rapid City High School, where he led his high school debate team to its first national championship at the National Forensic League’s meet held that year in Pittsburgh. John first attended George Washington University before coming to New Haven in September, 1962. While at GW, John worked part-time for Senator Karl E. Mundt and Representative E.Y. Berry. At Yale he was an intensive political science major, graduating cum laude and was awarded the prestigious DeForest Prize “ For the senior who shall write and pronounce an English oration in the best manner.”
After Yale John was awarded a law degree by the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, followed by a masters of law, corporate law, and a Ph.D. in juridical science, securities law, from New York University, then an M.A. in Asian studies from the University of Hong Kong in 1987 and finally an M.A. in history from the University of South Dakota in 2012.
On John’s commercial side, he held investment and portfolio management positions with Morgan Guaranty, which later became part of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, Nomura Securities, Irving Trust, Chase in Hong Kong and Japan, Wardley Investment Services in Singapore and finally Chief Investment Officer of NatWest Investment Management (Asia), located in Hong Kong.
Writing In the class nook and directory for out 25th reunion, John observed: “ (A)t the early afternoon of life, I feel that I am still in the ‘becoming’ stage, not too different from how I felt near a quarter century ago, at Yale. The world we knew in 1965 has changed so dramatically that it becomes less recognizable, and less comfortable, each year, yet I firmly hold to those values and principles that endure, although adherence to them entails personal, financial, professional and even ‘social’ costs that often seem onerous and unfair.”
Never reticent, John’s current LinkedIn page (proof we live on the Web forever) exclaims: “Have done business in more than 70 countries over 44 years, mainly as a professional investor, and have appeared in the media on six continents. Career includes investment management, education, politics and government, professional speaking and writing (3 books with two more in progress).” His published works include: Serious Money: Investing in Times of Crisis, Corruption and Chaos and American Zenith: The Fabulous 1950s, the Decade that Made Modern America.
John Carroll Quinn died on January 14, 2013, survived by his wife of 45 years, Monika, sons, John Wood Quinn (Y’92) and William Ginter Quinn, and two grandchildren