Alumni Award

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Watch a recording of the Alumni Award ceremony at the end of this article.

By Darryl Gangloff

What does it take to be a good leader? “Relationships are absolutely key,” Peter T. Grauer ’64 told the crowd of students as he received the Alumni Award, Hotchkiss’s highest honor, during a ceremony in Katherine M. Elfers Hall on Jan. 30.

Grauer is a philanthropist and business leader who served as a top executive at Bloomberg, the global financial technology company, for more than two decades.

“Returning to Hotchkiss to receive the Alumni Award brings back reflection on my three years at the School,” he said. “Hotchkiss was instrumental in building the foundation of my leadership that resulted in a career in business that exceeded my wildest expectations and enabled me to give back to a number of important causes.”

During his time at Hotchkiss, Grauer served as president of the Student Council, secretary of St. Luke's Society, sports editor for The Mischianza, and class treasurer. He was also co-captain of the football team and was named most valuable player for hockey and track.

Head of School Craig W. Bradley took to the Elfers stage to welcome Grauer. “This annual ceremony is one of the highlights of each academic year. It's an opportunity to celebrate a lifetime of achievement and accomplishment. It's an opportunity for us to learn, to be inspired, and to contemplate the significant influence Hotchkiss alumni have on the world,” Bradley said.

Robert Kuhn ’75, a member of the Alumni Assocation Board of Governors who sits on the Awards Nominating Committee, then spoke about the history of the Alumni Award. Since 1931, Hotchkiss has recognized 93 alumni for their exemplary work and achievements. “They embody our school's motto: ‘Guided by each other, let us seek better paths.’ Peter, your extraordinary leadership in nonprofit and philanthropic ventures, as well as the business world, exemplifies this motto and the true spirit of the Alumni Award. Your career reflects not only distinction and impact, but a lifelong commitment to service, one that honors Hotchkiss and inspires future generations to lead with purpose,” Kuhn said.

Anne Dinneen '95, a member of the Board of Trustees and chair of the Hotchkiss Investment Committee, joined Grauer on stage for a fireside chat. Grauer shared how he serendipitously met Michael Bloomberg while their daughters enjoyed horse-riding lessons, which led to Grauer’s lengthy career with the company. "You never know where these relationships are going to take you," he said.

“Mentorship has been very important to you, and you've embedded it into the Bloomberg organization. Why is it so important for you to give back?” Dinneen asked. Grauer explained that the mentorship program he created gave employees “opportunity to grow.” He emphasized that you “can receive just as much in return” when you give back.

In his August 2023 Alum of the Month profile, Hotchkiss Trustee Emerita and former Board President Jean Weinberg Rose ’80, P’18, said, “Peter Grauer embodies the essential characteristics and qualities with which we want our students to graduate. He is passionate about everything he does and is an inspiration to those around him.”

A Lengthy List of Career Accomplishments

Grauer first joined Bloomberg full-time as chairman, president, and CEO in March 2002. Prior to that, he had been a member of the Bloomberg Board of Directors beginning in October 1996 and was named chairman of the board in March 2001, succeeding Michael R. Bloomberg. Grauer was named chairman emeritus in 2023 and retired from Bloomberg in 2025.

Prior to joining Bloomberg, Grauer was a managing director of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette from 1992 to 2000, when DLJ was acquired by Credit Suisse First Boston. He is a founder of DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and DLJ Investment Partners, and he also served as a managing director and senior partner of CSFB Private Equity. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Harvard University Graduate School of Business, Program for Management Development. 

Grauer's list of career accomplishments is extensive. Currently, he is president of the Board of Trustees of the Inner City Scholarship Fund in New York City. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the WNET Group, and the Buzzards Bay Coalition. He is a member of the board of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, chairman of the College Advising Corps, and founding chairman of the U.S. 30% Club. He is also a trustee of The Economic Club of New York and Rockefeller University.

Previously, Grauer served on the World Economic Forum’s Media, Entertainment and Information, Financial Services, and Gender Parity Board of Governors, and he is the founding chairman of the Community of Chairmen at the World Economic Forum. He is also a member of the British American Business International Advisory Board. 

Among many other career highlights, Grauer served as lead director of DaVita Inc., a healthcare services company based in Colorado. He was the senior independent director and chairman of the Nominations and Audit Committees of Glencore. He is a former independent director and member of the Audit Committee of Blackstone. He is a former member of the Business Council, McKinsey Advisory Council, International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, the Asia Business Council, Out Leadership's Global Advisory Board, and the Partnership for Inner City Education Board of Directors.

Grauer is an emeritus board member of Room to Read and the Board of the USA Cycling Development Foundation. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and several UNC entities, including serving as chair of the Undergraduate Honors Program. He is the chairman emeritus of the Board of Directors of The Big Apple Circus, a former member of Jazz at Lincoln Center, and a former president of the Pomfret School Board of Trustees.

He is a recipient of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Happy Warrior Award. He also received the Peterson Business Award, the William Richardson Davie Award, the Dean's Award for Distinguished Service to the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Papal Order of Merit. In 2017, he was inducted into the North Carolina Media & Journalism Hall of Fame.

Since 1931, the Hotchkiss Alumni Association has presented the Alumni Award to notable alumni. Selected by the nominating committee of the Board of Governors of the Alumni Association, recipients have brought honor and distinction to themselves and Hotchkiss through their achievements. Nominate an individual for the Alumni Award.