Died: February 18, 2011
Steve Brody was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1944 the son of Beryl Leonard Brody (Yale ’37) and Anita Brody (Yale Mus. B ’39). Steve was buried in the same town, Indiana, Pennsylvania, when he passed in February 2011. But the journey in between was complex, exciting and rewarding for Steve and those whose lives he touched.
Steve’s obituary published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tells us he graduated from Mercersburg Academy in 1962, from Yale in 1966, and obtained an M.B.A. from Columbia in 1970. After graduating from Columbia, Steve stayed in New York for several years, where he worked at the dawn of the information age developing some of the first financial information databases. He married Susan Ritter in 1968, and had two sons — Jared and Seth (Yale ’98). He eventually found his lifetime calling as a “serial entrepreneur” when he returned to Pennsylvania in 1979.
Steve was top notch at everything he did. He started many of his own companies, primarily in the health care and telecommunications industries, and helped over 150 clients as a consultant, both in Pennsylvania and across the United States. His clients relied on Steve for his financial expertise and were drawn to him by the high sense of ethics and integrity he brought to the business world. He was genuinely loyal, had lifelong friends, and was a great listener, always respectful and open to ideas of others. Steve was a proud father and best friend to his two children.
One of Steve’s lifetime goals was to help create jobs and promote economic development in Western Pennsylvania and his community of Indiana, perhaps best known as the birthplace and hometown of beloved actor Jimmie Stewart. Like Stewart, Steve Brody had a sharp eye, a calm demeanor, and was kind and friendly to everyone he met.
Steve’s connections to Yale University and our class ran deep. He gave generously of his time and resources until his death. Steve majored in political science, worked with the Yale Daily News, resided in Berkeley College, and played rugby as well as intramural football, basketball and golf. After graduation he attended almost all class reunions as well as many class functions at the Yale Club in New York, notwithstanding the distance from Western Pennsylvania.
Although what is written in Steve’s obituary adequately reports on his significant and important contributions, and the esteem in which he was held by everyone, it may be his picture, published concurrently, that captures his personality. Steve was a handsome man, with an enviable full head of hair. His eyes and countenance are most noteworthy. One sees a solid, serious man, a sparkle indicating a good sense of humor, a man comfortable with himself, without fear, one who would welcome a challenge, a man who helped and learned from others. Steve lived a full life, and his legacy of giving in every respect lives on in his family, friends, and the lasting impact he had on the lives of others.
Bruce Eckert remembers:
Steve and I met in tenth grade at Mercersburg Academy. We were great friends by our senior year, and our friendship was greatly solidified when we became the only two Mercersburg seniors to gain admission to the Yale Class of 1966. We roomed together throughout those bright college years. When my father died in my sophomore year, Steve and his father (also a Yale man) became an even more important part of my formative years. A fortunate knee injury on a fun-filled Bermuda rugby trip kept Steve out of the military. He graduated from Columbia Business School, stayed in New York and started a career in the financial services industry. After many years of resisting his father’s entreaties to return to Indiana, PA to manage Brody Brothers (the family department stores), Steve, Susan, and their two sons finally did so. Unfortunately, it was too late to prevent the stores’ demise in the new era of suburban malls and big box stores. Steve thereafter remained in his hometown and reinvented himself as a business consultant to many start-up businesses in western Pennsylvania. Steve was always an accomplished writer — he was the editor of the Mercersburg Academy newspaper and a member of the Yale Daily News; — and his business, marketing, and strategic plans were the underpinnings for the success of many companies. Steve was very devoted to Yale, remained in touch with many classmates, and loved getting to New York for class dinners. He succumbed way too early in life to Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He was a huge presence in my life and remains the source of many smiles when I reflect on all of our times together.
Clifton Iverson remembers:
My best friend.