Steve Cutler M '61 began his investment career in the 60s after enrolling in the Babson MBA program "at the strong urging of my wife". He called the decision "one of the most fortuitous occurrences in my life, [and] a decision…that freed me from a career as an assistant buyer at Jordan Marsh". Although Steve majored in accounting, his love for the stock market led him in that direction. Prof. Wilson F. Payne, Division of Finance and Investments, who specialized in the securities market, and Prof. Clinton A. Petersen '46 M'68, who taught accounting for over 40 years at Babson, were influential in preparing Steve for a successful career in the investment field.

Steve chose the investment field because, "There are always both cyclical and secular changes taking place that can provide investment and life changing opportunities. You can be involved in that change and be able to provide clients with profits from the changes. [It] opens up vistas over all different areas." Equipped with an AB from Brown University and an MBA from Babson, Steve began his career in 1962 as a portfolio manager and securities analyst with Keystone Custodian Funds. In 1967, he became director of investments and fund manager for The Massachusetts Company before leaving to become president and director of Baring American Asset Co., Inc., from 1971 to 1989.

In 1989, Steve "decided to get together and build something" with the founder of the Essex Investment Management Company in Boston. At that time Essex managed less than $1 billion in assets. Steve is currently President and a Principal of Essex, which now has more than $10 billion under management. The company specializes in investing in growth equities and fixed-income securities. Essex provides investment advisory services to defined benefit plans, endowments, foundations, partnership and private individuals. The investment philosophy of Essex is to find new companies with innovative products or services that will lead to accelerating growth. Visit their website at http://www.essexinvest.com/.

Steve's strong interest in finance and his commitment to Babson led him to give a generous gift to the school to fund the Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments & Finance. The Cutler Center provides the Babson community with leading edge data services and tools to conduct financial and investment research in a real-world environment. Visit the Cutler Center's website. Alumni are also welcome to use the Cutler Center and selected services, including Bloomberg. Click here to read an excerpt from the Babson Bulletin on the Stephen D. Cutler Center of Investments & Finance.

Steve's vision for the Cutler Center is to "help people recognize the importance of the stock market in creating capital for the growth of this country and not just a playground for day traders. We need to find companies that will change the face of this nation. Here's a way to get down to basics. People have to raise money to grow their business in order to increase their growth, make jobs for people, and increase the growth of the system. [We need to] use financial markets to achieve that end."

While devotion to his work has earned him respect and success, Steve's greatest enjoyments come from time spent with his family, including his five grandchildren. He and his wife Alice also love to travel. Trips to Russia, Cuba, Israel and New Zealand have given Steve "some indication of how the rest of the world really lives…[including] what business opportunities are there, and what you can help them do for themselves." Will he retire anytime soon? Not a chance. Steve's contract with Essex continues for another 7 years. But he would "like to lower my golf score one of these days".