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 William Lutnick is an American billionaire businessman and government official. He has served as the 41st United States Secretary of Commerce since February 2025. His background spans both the business world, achieving billionaire status, and high-level government service as a cabinet member.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1983: Hired at Cantor Fitzgerald

In 1983, Howard Lutnick was hired at Cantor Fitzgerald, where he was mentored by the firm's founder, B. Gerald Cantor.

December 1990: Appointed Cantor's Successor

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

1990: President and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald

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

1991: Chief Executive and President of Cantor Fitzgerald

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

1996: Chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald

In 1996, Howard Lutnick was appointed as the chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald after Cantor's death. He then invested in technology, founding the eSpeed electronic trading platform.

September 1998: Began Electronic Trading

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

March 1999: eSpeed Released

In March 1999, the electronic trading platform, eSpeed, was released.

September 2001: eSpeed Created Marketplaces

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

October 2001: Established Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund

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

February 2002: Profit Distribution to Survivors

In February 2002, Cantor Fitzgerald announced it would divide US$4.9 million in profit to survivors of the September 11 attacks.

September 2002: Cantor Fitzgerald Donated to Relief Fund

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

August 2004: Establishment of BGC Partners

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

September 2006: Relief Fund Donation Amount

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

October 2007: Lutnick Appointed to Fixed-Income Trading Role

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

September 2014: Charity Day Raised 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 attacks, including the September 11th Education Trust.

October 2014: Largest Single Donation to Haverford College

As of October 2014, Lutnick gave the largest single donation to Haverford College, valued at US$25 million, and his total donations have reached US$65 million.

July 2024: Spoke at Bitcoin Conference

In July 2024, Lutnick and presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where Lutnick announced that Cantor Fitzgerald would open a US$2 billion lending facility with Bitcoin as collateral.

August 2024: Named Co-Chair of Trump's Presidential Transition

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

November 19, 2024: Lutnick Nominated for Secretary of Commerce

On November 19, 2024, Donald Trump selected Howard Lutnick as his nominee for Secretary of Commerce, after considering him for Secretary of the Treasury.

January 2025: Lutnick's Financial Disclosure

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

January 2025: Senate Committee Hearing Held

In January 2025, a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing was held for Lutnick's nomination.

January 29, 2025: Lutnick Promotes Tariffs and AI Action

On January 29, 2025, Lutnick appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he promoted the second Trump tariffs and vowed greater action on China and its advances in artificial intelligence, particularly the release of DeepSeek R1.

February 2025: Discussions on Intel's Manufacturing Facilities

In February 2025, The New York Times reported that Lutnick had been involved in discussions to offer Intel's manufacturing facilities to TSMC.

February 2025: Confirmed as Secretary of Commerce

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

February 18, 2025: Lutnick Confirmed by the Senate

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

March 2025: Lutnick's Comments on Tariffs, Recession, and Tesla

In March 2025, Howard Lutnick stated there was "no chance" of a recession due to Trump's policies, defended tariffs on Canada, and encouraged Fox News viewers to purchase stock in Tesla. He also commented on Social Security fraud in a podcast interview.

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 his hiring decisions. He claimed to be convinced that vaccines cause autism and considered The Heritage Foundation to be "radioactive".