Founded in 1819, Colgate University has produced graduates who have gone on to make significant impacts across business, entertainment, sports, and public service. This private liberal arts institution in Hamilton, New York, has consistently developed leaders who have transformed their respective fields. Here are five Colgate alumni whose achievements exemplify the university’s legacy of excellence and innovation.
JP Conte Transforms Private Equity Through Vision and Purpose
When Jean-Pierre “JP” Conte walked across the Colgate University graduation stage in 1985, he was set on creating a meaningful impact within the financial sector. After earning his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1989, Conte began his career at Chase Manhattan Bank, building the foundation for what would become an extraordinary journey in investment leadership.
What distinguishes Conte’s career isn’t just financial success but transformational vision. After joining a mid-market private equity firm in 1995, he ascended to leadership within three years. Under his guidance as chairman and managing partner, the firm evolved from managing roughly $100 million to an industry powerhouse overseeing approximately $49 billion in assets.
Conte’s investment approach focuses on identifying companies with untapped potential across healthcare, financial services, software, and industrial technology. Rather than pursuing quick returns, he builds specialized teams capable of fundamentally improving operations and market position, creating sustainable industry leaders rather than temporary financial successes.
Personal experience has profoundly shaped his professional priorities. In 2017, Conte established the J-P Conte Family Foundation, a reflection of his commitment to helping create a better future. His foundation supports neuroscience research and environmental conservation, among other areas.
This commitment materialized powerfully in November 2024, when Conte donated $5 million to establish two endowed professorships at the University of California, San Francisco’s Department of Neurology, advancing research into Parkinson’s disease.
Meanwhile, his March 2025 launch of Lupine Crest Capital, his family office, represents a natural evolution of his investment career, extending his approach to new ventures through a family office.
Conte maintains his connection to Colgate by serving as a university trustee, giving back to the institution that helped launch his remarkable career.
Bruce Buck Builds Transformative Legal and Sports Legacy
Bruce Buck, Colgate class of 1967, constructed an exceptional dual career spanning international law and sports management. His journey began with a solid educational foundation—after Colgate, Buck earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1970, establishing the groundwork for his future legal accomplishments.
At prestigious law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Buck specialized in European mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, and project financing. His legal acumen brought him to London, where he oversaw Skadden’s European footprint and advised on substantial business transactions throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
Buck became chairman of Chelsea Football Club in 2003 after the team changed owners, with the new purchaser and Buck having a close connection. As chairman, Buck guided Chelsea through 19 transformative years until 2022. During his tenure, the club Chelsea solidified its position as one of the world’s elite football clubs and a globally recognised brand followed by millions. In that time, the men’s team earned 18 major trophies (more than any other English club) while Chelsea FC Women won 12 major trophies.
His leadership modernized Chelsea’s business operations while maintaining competitive excellence on the field. Buck’s influence extended beyond Chelsea through his service on committees within the professional football space, helping shape international football governance during a period of unprecedented growth and change.
His career exemplifies how a Colgate foundation can launch graduates into unexpected opportunities for global impact.
Bill Winters Navigates Global Banking Through Transformation
William “Bill” Winters, Colgate class of 1983, stands among the most influential figures in modern global banking. His Colgate degree in International Relations provided the foundation for a career that would earn him recognition as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the UK’s financial industry.
Winters spent 26 years at JPMorgan Chase, culminating in his role as Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Bank from 2004 to 2009. After departing JPMorgan, Winters served on the Independent Commission on Banking, established by the UK government. His contributions helped strengthen the global banking system against future instability.
In 2015, Winters became group chief executive of Standard Chartered PLC, coming to the helm of the international bank amid a variety of market conditions. Under roughly decade-long leadership, Standard Chartered has continued its more than century-old tradition of being at the center of new investments and deals driven through the strength of its global reach.
Winters’ career demonstrates how Colgate’s international relations curriculum provided a vital perspective for leadership in global finance.
Carmine Di Sibio Leads Global Accounting Through Digital Revolution
Carmine Di Sibio, Colgate University class of 1985, rose to become one of the most prominent leaders in professional services as global chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young (EY), a position he held until June 2024.
After graduating from Colgate, Di Sibio first joined Ernst & Young in 1985, beginning a career spanning nearly four decades with the firm. His progression included leadership roles of increasing responsibility, from Americas banking and capital markets leader to global managing partner – client service, before being named global chairman and CEO in 2019.
During his tenure as CEO, Di Sibio guided EY through significant transformation, implementing major investments in technology and innovation. Under his leadership, EY employed hundreds of thousands of people globally, providing assurance, consulting, tax, and transaction services to roughly 150 countries.
Di Sibio successfully navigated EY through the COVID-19 pandemic’s unprecedented challenges, accelerating digital transformation while maintaining client service excellence during widespread disruption. As a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Italy, Di Sibio earned a Colgate education, providing him with the critical thinking skills that advanced his career. He maintained engagement with the university, including participating in a campus discussion about his time at the university and his career.
Stephen Burke Reshapes Media Through Digital Transformation
Stephen B. Burke, Colgate class of 1980, has fundamentally transformed the media and entertainment landscape through visionary leadership during a period of unprecedented technological disruption. After Colgate, Burke earned his MBA from Harvard Business School before building a career that placed him at the forefront of media’s digital evolution.
Burke spent 12 years at The Walt Disney Company, including serving as president of ABC Broadcasting, overseeing 10 ABC-owned television stations; the ABC Radio Group, consisting of 27 radio stations and eight radio networks; and Buena Vista Television, the company’s domestic syndication arm.
As CEO of NBCUniversal from 2011 to 2019, Burke orchestrated NBCUniversal’s integration after Comcast’s acquisition from General Electric. His leadership expanded NBCUniversal’s theme park business globally, expanded its reach in film, and saw considerable growth of NBCUniversal’s television networks.
Burke’s tenure coincided with radical shifts in media consumption, yet he successfully navigated these changes while maintaining strength across platforms. His strategic vision positioned NBCUniversal as a leading content creator and distributor in an increasingly competitive environment.
Throughout his career, Burke maintained Colgate connections, returning to speak at the university and demonstrating how a Colgate education provides the adaptability and strategic thinking essential for leadership in rapidly evolving industries.
These five remarkable Colgate graduates exemplify the university’s tradition of developing leaders who create lasting impacts across diverse fields. From transforming global companies to revolutionizing industries, their accomplishments reflect both individual excellence and the foundational role their Colgate education played in their professional journeys. Each has demonstrated how a liberal arts foundation can prepare graduates to lead with vision, adaptability, and purpose—qualities that have enabled them to shape our world in meaningful and enduring ways.
Hayden Richards is Contributor of IntelligentHQ. He specialises in finance, trading, investment, and technology, with expertise in both buy-side, sell-side. Contributing and advising various global corporations, Hayden is a thought leader, researching on global regulatory subjects, digital, social media strategies and new trends for Businesses, Capital Markets and Financial Services.
Aside from the articles, interviews and content he writes for IntelligentHQ, Hayden is also a content curator for capital markets, analytic platforms and business industry emerging trends. An avid new media explorer Hayden is driven by a passion for business development, innovation, social business, Tech Trading, payments and eCommerce. A native Trinidadian, Hayden is also a veteran, having served with the Royal Air Force Reserves for the past 10 years.
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