Career Timeline of Howard Lutnick: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Howard Lutnick, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Howard Lutnick is an American businessman, philanthropist, and current United States Secretary of Commerce (since February 2025). This concise description highlights his roles in business, charity, and government, emphasizing his leadership position as Secretary of Commerce.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1983: Hired at Cantor Fitzgerald

In 1983, Howard Lutnick was hired at Cantor Fitzgerald by B. Gerald Cantor.

December 1990: Appointed Cantor's Successor

By December 1990, Lutnick was appointed Cantor's successor in the event of his death.

1990: Lutnick becomes CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald

In 1990, Lutnick became president and chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald.

1991: Lutnick becomes the firm's chief executive and president

In 1991, after a failed attempt by Cantor Fitzgerald's president to oust him, Lutnick became the firm's chief executive and president.

1994: Investment in European Brokering

Since 1994, Lutnick began diversifying Cantor's investments, seeking to establish a brokering business in Europe.

1996: Appointed Chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald

In 1996, Howard Lutnick was appointed chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald after Cantor's death.

September 1998: Began electronic trading for futures contracts

In September 1998, Cantor Fitzgerald began electronic trading for futures contracts on Treasury bonds and notes, developing eSpeed, an electronic trading platform.

March 1999: eSpeed released

eSpeed, an electronic trading platform, was released in March 1999.

September 2001: eSpeed Creates Marketplaces

By September 2001, eSpeed had created four dozen marketplaces, including TradeSpark, an exchange for natural gas and electricity.

October 2001: Relief Fund Donations

In October 2001, the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund began donating US$5,000 to families of victims of the September 11 attacks with one or more children.

September 2002: Cantor Fitzgerald Donates to Relief Fund

In September 2002, Cantor Fitzgerald donated US$4 million to the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund.

December 2002: Cantor Fitzgerald employs 750 in NY

By December 2002, Cantor Fitzgerald had 750 employees in New York.

July 2003: Horace Mann School Board Member

From July 2003, Lutnick served as a board member of the Horace Mann School.

August 2004: Partnership Established

In August 2004, Cantor Fitzgerald established a partnership, BGC Partners, for its voice brokerage business.

January 2006: Appointment to World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Board

In January 2006, Lutnick was appointed to the board of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.

September 2006: Relief Fund Donations

As of September 2006, the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund has donated US$180 million to families.

October 2007: Lutnick Appointed CEO

In October 2007, Lutnick was appointed the chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald's fixed-income trading and sales business.

2008: Appears on The Celebrity Apprentice

In 2008, Lutnick appeared on "The Celebrity Apprentice", hosted by Donald Trump in a charity auction.

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2013: Donation to Victims of Moore Tornado

In 2013, Howard Lutnick gave debit cards of an equal amount to victims of the Moore tornado.

September 2014: Charity Day Raises Millions

By September 2014, Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC Partners' annual charity day on September 11 had raised US$101 million for non-profits dedicated to the September 11 attacks.

October 2014: Largest Single Donation to Haverford College

As of October 2014, Howard Lutnick gave the largest single donation to Haverford College—valued at US$25 million, bringing his total donation to US$65 million.

January 2017: Anshu Jain Joins Cantor Fitzgerald

In January 2017, Anshu Jain, a former Deutsche Bank executive, joined Cantor Fitzgerald as its president.

2017: Donation to Hurricane Harvey relief

In 2017, The Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund donated to hurricane relief, including Hurricane Harvey.

2020: Investment in cryptocurrency

Since 2020, Cantor Fitzgerald has invested in cryptocurrency, particularly Tether.

June 2024: End of Horace Mann School Board Membership

In June 2024, Lutnick concluded his service as a board member of the Horace Mann School.

August 2024: Named co-chair of Trump's presidential transition

In August 2024, Howard Lutnick was named as the co-chair of Donald Trump's presidential transition.

November 2024: Board Memberships

As of November 2024, Lutnick is a member of the Partnership for New York City's board and Weill Cornell Medicine.

November 19, 2024: Nomination for Secretary of Commerce

On November 19, 2024, Donald Trump selected Lutnick as his nominee for secretary of commerce.

January 2025: Financial Disclosure

In January 2025, Lutnick's financial disclosure form revealed he had at least US$806 million in assets and declared shares in GE Aerospace, GE Healthcare, The Walt Disney Company, Nasdaq, Inc., and the musical Kimberly Akimbo.

January 2025: Senate Committee hearing for Lutnick

In January 2025, a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee hearing for Howard Lutnick was held.

January 29, 2025: Senate Committee Appearance

On January 29, 2025, Lutnick appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, promoting the second Trump tariffs and vowing action on China and AI advances, specifically DeepSeek R1.

February 2025: Howard Lutnick becomes 41st United States Secretary of Commerce

In February 2025, Howard Lutnick began serving as the 41st United States Secretary of Commerce.

February 2025: Lutnick names sons as chairmen

In February 2025, after being confirmed as the United States secretary of commerce, Lutnick named his sons, Brandon and Kyle, as chairman and executive vice chairman, respectively.

February 2025: Involvement in Intel-TSMC Discussions

In February 2025, it was reported that Lutnick was involved in discussions to offer Intel's manufacturing facilities to TSMC.

February 18, 2025: Senate Confirmation

On February 18, 2025, Lutnick was confirmed by the Senate in a 51–45 vote.

March 2025: Comments on Trump's Economic Policies and Tariffs

In March 2025, after Trump initiated a trade war, Lutnick stated on Meet the Press that there was "no chance" of a recession, later defending tariffs even if they led to a recession. He also encouraged Fox News viewers to purchase Tesla stock, and made controversial remarks about Social Security.

2025: Lutnick's Views on Vaccines and The Heritage Foundation

In 2025, as co-chairman of Trump's transition team, Lutnick prioritized loyalty to Trump in hiring decisions. He also expressed his belief that vaccines cause autism, following a meeting with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and labeled The Heritage Foundation as "radioactive".