SOURCE OF WEALTH: Siebert Cisneros Shank Co., LLC.
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth
OVERVIEW: Suzanne Shank does not appear to have a formal charitable vehicle. She supports Spelman College, among other select institutions.
BACKGROUND: Raised in Savannah, Georgia, Suzanne F. Shank graduated with a B.S. in civil engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1983 and her MBA from Wharton. She was a structural engineer for General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division, working on noise mitigation projects. Shank went on to become a founding partner of Siebert Cisneros Shank & Co., LLC., a full-service investment banking and financial services company founded in 1996. As the result of a merger, in 2020 the firm will rebrand as Siebert Williams Shank & Co., of which Shank will be president and CEO.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Shank is interested in causes promoting mentorship of inner city youth. She joined the Spelman College board of trustees early in the decade, and supports the Atlanta-based HBCU. Shank did not attend the school but her mother is an alumna. She says that “I chose to serve on the Board because of Spelman’s rich tradition of providing access to a superior education and advancement opportunities for African-American women.” Shank also supports her alma mater UPenn including its School of Veterinary Medicine, and Detroit Institute of the Arts (DIA), particularly last decade; she sits on the board of directors of DIA.
LOOKING FORWARD: Shank is still very much engaged in business, but should be watched for greater giving down the line.
