Mellody Hobson with Raymond J. McGuire: Priceless Facts about Money

​Barrier-breaking finance pioneer Mellody Hobson joins us to discuss her debut book, Priceless Facts about Money, with fellow veteran of the financial industry Raymond J. McGuire.

This event will take place in person at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on the 7th Floor.

Debut author Mellody Hobson, barrier-breaking pioneer in the world of finance, demystifies money for kids with a look at some wild and weird facts about what makes the world go round. What is the meaning of all those symbols on US bills (and why are they so hard to counterfeit)? What’s with people calling money “bacon” or “cheddar” or “smackeroonies”? With savvy and wit, financial expert Mellody Hobson sheds a friendly light on a daunting subject, from the meteorites that created the first mineral deposits to the ancient Maya who used chocolate as currency to the beginnings of the banking system itself. Readers learn about bartering, profit and loss, the origins of credit, ATMs, and even fun facts about money around the world. In her first children’s book, Mellody Hobson brings excitement to the realm of financial literacy and gives kids the tools they need to navigate money now and in the future. Featuring energetic artwork by debut illustrator Caitlin Stevens, amusing skits starring a cat and bunny who converse in money idioms, and inserts depicting the author and her business partner as kids just learning how money works, Priceless Facts about Money is an inviting, entertaining, and richly educational resource for every child.

 At this event, Hobson will discuss her new book with Raymond J. McGuire.

To join the event in person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Mellody Hobson is a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy. Her leadership has been invaluable to corporate boardrooms across the nation. She currently serves as Co-CEO of Ariel Investments and as a director of JPMorgan Chase. She is the former chairman of Starbucks Corporation and its current lead independent director. She is also a director of JPMorgan Chase. She previously served as chairman of the board of DreamWorks Animation until the company’s sale and was a long-standing board member of the Estée Lauder Companies. Mellody’s community outreach includes her role as chairman of After School Matters, a Chicago non-profit that provides area teens with high-quality after-school and summer programs. Additionally, she is co-chair of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and a board member of the George Lucas Educational Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. She also serves on the board of trustees of the Center for Strategic & International Studies and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Mellody is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Rockefeller Foundation board of trustees and serves on the executive committee of the Investment Company Institute. Mellody earned her AB from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of International Relations and Public Policy. In 2019, she was awarded the university’s highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented annually to a Princeton graduate whose career embodies a commitment to national service. She has also received honorary doctorate degrees from Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, St. Mary’s College and the University of Southern California. In 2015, Time Magazine named her one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the world.

Raymond J. McGuire was named president of Lazard, a global financial advisory and asset management firm, in April 2023. Prior to joining Lazard, Mr. McGuire held a 13-year term as Citigroup’s global head of corporate and investment banking, the longest tenure for this position in the history of Wall Street. Afterwards, he was the vice chairman of Citigroup and chairman of Citi’s banking, capital markets and advisory business. Previously, Mr. McGuire was the global co-head of mergers & acquisitions at Morgan Stanley, a managing director in the mergers & acquisitions group of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc and was one of the original members of Wasserstein Perella & Co., Inc. He started his career in 1984 in the mergers & acquisitions group of The First Boston Corporation. Mr. McGuire is currently a member of the corporate boards of the Hess Corporation and Vornado Realty Trust. He was formerly a board member of KKR & Co., Inc. He holds leadership roles on several not-for profit boards including: the American Museum of Natural History, the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums, the Hotchkiss School, the New York Public Library, the Regional Plan Association (Chairman), the Studio Museum in Harlem (Chairman), and the Whitney Museum of American Art. He received his M.B.A. and J.D. from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School and an A.B. from Harvard College.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES

In-Person

• Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue.


• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.


• This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

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Please submit all press inquiries to Lizzie Tribone at least 48 hours before the event: email lizzietribone@nypl.org.
 

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All programs are subject to change or cancellation. All events at The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library are subject to recording and photography. 

The 7 Stories Up Series at SNFL is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).