Carl and Cordelia Menges

SOURCE OF WEALTH:  Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Arts & Culture

OVERVIEW: Carl and Cordelia Menges and family conduct their philanthropy through the Menges Family Foundation, which according to available tax filings, gave away around $254,000 in 2017. The family's giving strongly prioritizes education. Some of this work revolves around early American history, a subject of interest for Menges. 

BACKGROUND: Carl Menges graduated with an A.B. from Hamilton College in 1951 and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1953. He was divisional marketing manager for Owens Corning Fiberglass Corporation. In 1966, he joined the investment banking firm Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), where he rose to vice chairman before its purchase in 2000 by Credit Suisse.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Carl Menges is a steady supporter of his alma mater Hamilton College, where he is a life trustee. He became a member of Hamilton’s board in the mid-1980s. The couple's son Samuel also graduated from the college. Last decade, the Menges gave $3.6 million to support the newly established Alexander Hamilton Center (AHC) at Hamilton. Menges is an early American history enthusiast.

Menges is also a founding board member of the Alexander Hamilton Institute, which the family supports. Other grantees have included Vassar College, home to the Carl B. and Cordelia S. Menges Scholarship (Cordelia graduated from Vassar), University of Arizona (their son Ben is an alum), Dana Hall School, Palm Beach Day Academy, and American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), whose mission is to "support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price."

ARTS & CULTURE: Grantees include New York Historical Society, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and Society of the Four Arts.

OTHER: Menges has supported St. Luke’s Church and East Hampton Healthcare Foundation.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family to stick with their established interests for now. Down the line, the children should be watched as their interests develop. The family has ties to Arizona, a potential site of future giving.

CONTACT:

The Menges Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:

Menges Family Foundation
c/o Cordelia Menges
215 East 72nd Street
New York, NY 10021