John Goldman

John Goldman is a civic volunteer, active in various philanthropic and community organizations following a significant business and government career. A native San Franciscan, John graduated in 1967 from Lick-Wilmerding High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College in 1971 and a Masters in Business Administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1975. John most recently was President of the San Francisco Symphony, having assumed this role in 2001 after joining the Symphony's Board of Governors in 1996 and ending his tenure in December 2012. He is a Past President of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. John was the former Chair of the Stanford Athletic Board, serves on the boards of the Stanford Hospital and Clinics, the Stanford Business School Advisory Council, and Stanford's Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society (PACS. He also completed a 12-year term on the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College in June 2009. He is a trustee of several family foundations, including serving as President of the Goldman Environmental Foundation. John was appointed by President Obama to serve on the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts in May 2012. John is an Advisory Board Member of the Wildlife Conservation Society and an Honorary Board Member of Project Open Hand. He is a past President of the Board of Jewish Family and Children's Services and a former board member of the Institute on Aging of Mt. Zion Health Systems. Professionally, John is the former Chairman of Willis Insurance Services of California, Inc., part of the Willis Group Holdings, a London-based global brokerage, operating more than 300 offices in more than 100 countries with 13,000 associates. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Richard N. Goldman & Co., an insurance brokerage firm specializing in the development of customized commercial and personal insurance and risk management programs. Prior to joining Goldman Insurance Services in 1986, John served in the Office of Legislative Analyst for the State of California from 1975 to 1978, as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for the State of California from 1978 to 1981, and was owner of a regional chain of children's clothing stores from 1982 to 1985. John and his wife of 38 years, Marcia, have two children. John's pastimes include reading, golf, Masters swimming, travel, and serious doting on his granddaughter, Nomi.

I'm passionate about philanthropy; non-profit governance; politics; sports (as a spectator); open-water swimming (as a participant); and especially my family!

Non-profit Governance, Risk Management, Volunteer & Board Development