Richard Glaser

Richard Glaser started as an investment banker in Merrill Lynch’s mergers and acquisitions department in the mid-’80s. He spent most of his career in venture capital as a partner in several New York City-based funds affiliated with Lepercq, de Neuflize, Hudson Ventures and Village Ventures. He now works directly with entrepreneurs and businesses owners as a financial advisor with a leading securities firm.

Richard founded and leads RocGrowth, a platform that supports entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Rochester region. For these efforts and more, he  received an Upstate Venture Ecosystem Award for his role as an outstanding Community Catalyst.

Richard is a noted advocate and supporter of the arts in Rochester, focusing on creatives from under-represented groups. He initiated the renaming of Rochester’s airport after Frederick Douglass and has been associated with numerous social justice-related accomplishments. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Upstate Venture Connect, and on the Steering Committing for the UNY50 Leadership Network.

He was an adjunct professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he taught entrepreneurship. He co-founded and was president of Digital Rochester and was an original board member of the Greater Rochester Enterprise. He served on the boards of Rochester Angel Network, Saunders College of Business at RIT, Venture Investors Association of New York, Upstate Capital Association of New York and as annual giving chair of Haverford College.

Richard graduated Haverford College and received a masters degree from Columbia University’s School of International Affairs, specializing in international business. He attended the London School of Economics and studied Chinese at Middlebury College.