Thursday, August 14, 2025

A00131 - Daniel Chester Cochran, Amherst College Class of 1968, DuSable High School (Chicago, Illinois) Graduate, Princeton University International Relations M.A., Trailblazing Gay African American Corporate Board Member

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DANIEL COCHRAN

DANIEL COCHRAN obituary, New York, NY

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DANIEL COCHRAN Obituary

COCHRAN--Daniel C. Daniel C. Cochran died on December 1, 2019 at the age of 73. Dan was a ground-breaking pioneer for African- Americans and gay people on Wall Street, serving in senior positions at both Merrill Lynch and UBS and on the board of Prince Street Capital Management, a hedge fund. Dan is survived by his spouse, Greg Sutphin, his beloved companion of over fifty years. Dan was raised in Chicago's South Side. He attended Amherst College and was deeply involved with Amherst alumni affairs for many years. In 1974, he earned a Master of Public Affairs Degree from Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School. Dan started his professional career as a Foreign Service Officer, including a posting in Iran, where he learned Persian. In 1974, he joined Exxon Corporation in the Treasurer's Department. In 1989 he joined Merrill Lynch as a deputy treasurer for finance. He rose up through several positions at Merrill and in 1995 moved to Hong Kong as chief administrative officer for the Asia Pacific Region. Returning to the U.S. in 1999, he became a senior vice-president of the Corporate and Institutional Client Group. In 2010, he moved to UBS, where he served as Chief of Staff to the head of US Wealth Management. He retired in 2015. Throughout his long career, Dan was an early door-opener for both African- Americans and for gay people. At Merrill Lynch, he helped establish and nurture employee groups which allowed members of these minorities to both network and to consult with management on appropriate employee policies. Dan was also involved in major fundraising efforts for the Human Rights Campaign and for Lamba Legal. Both he and Greg loved opera. When they lived in Houston during his Exxon days, they became involved with the Houston Opera. Once in New York, they became generous donors to the Metropolitan Opera, with Dan eventually becoming a member of the Board of Trustees. And while this life of accomplishment may sound staid, Dan was anything but. He had a wicked sense of humor; an eye, ear and tongue for the outrageous; and a passion for living a full, rich, fun life. He was generous to a fault and served as mentor and friend to many people. The same passion that drove Dan Cochran to accomplish so much in his life drove him to devour life's pleasures with gusto. He lived an extraordinary life. A celebration of Dan's life will occur in coming weeks.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by New York Times on Dec. 5, 2019.

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In Memory

Our classmate Dan Cochran passed away this past December. Dan had an unusual career. After graduate work at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School and several years in the foreign service, he moved to the business world, first with Exxon in 1974 and then to Merrill Lynch through which he rose to chief administrative officer for the Asia Pacific region. From 2010 to his retirement in 2015, he was with UBS where he served as chief of staff to the head of U.S. Wealth Management.

Our classmates will remember Dan’s contributions to many parts of our lives on campus, perhaps most visibly as a wonderful cheerleader at Amherst football games but also as a mainstay of the editorial board of The Student. Those of us who knew Dan, also on the dance floor in the Phi Delt basement on many Saturday evenings, will recall his good nature and eagerness to induce all into the fun. Along with these more visible characteristics, many of us also new Dan as a good and wise friend.

Dan and his spouse and beloved companion of more than 50 years, Greg Sutphin ’71, were mainstays among volunteer leaders in New York for many years, including the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal and especially with the Metropolitan Opera for which they shared a strong devotion and on whose Board of Trustees Dan served. Upon his death, the Met noted that Dan “was admired by his fellow board members for his deep appreciation for opera and for introducing innumerable friends and colleagues to the art form at Met performances often during each season.” 

Colleagues of Dan’s noted the broad and helpful role he played in encouraging and facilitating the careers of others. As noted in his obituary in the New York Times, “Throughout his long career, Dan was an early door-opener for both African-Americans and for gay people. At Merrill Lynch, he helped establish and nurture employee groups which allowed members of these minorities both to network and to consult with management on appropriate employee policies.” 

Dan loved his creature comforts, having a good time and sharing a sometimes very sharp sense of humor, but he also had a great dedication to helping others and making the world better. The full engagement in life that was apparent in his days as an Amherst cheerleader, that Dan projected and shared so generously with those around him, and that many of us enjoyed so much during college will be missed greatly by the friends, family, coworkers and organizations with which he shared it throughout his life.

Edwin B. Fisher Jr. ’68

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Nickname

  • Dan

No data available

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Employment Information

    Former

    • COO
      UBS Wealth Management Americas
      Start:
      03/2013
      End:
      04/2015
    • Managing Director
      UBS Wealth Management Americas
      Start:
      11/2010
      End:
      03/2012
    • Chief Admin Off
      Merrill Lynch International, Inc.
      Start:
      01/1995
      End:
      01/1999
    • COO
      Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
      Start:
      01/1989
      End:
      09/2004
    • Deputy Treas
      Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
      Start:
      01/1989
      End:
      01/1993
    • Senior Vice President
      Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
      Start:
      01/1989
      End:
      07/2009
    • Dir-Corp Budget
      Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
      Start:
      01/1989
      End:
      01/1995
    • Asst Treasurer
      ExxonMobil Corporation
      Start:
      01/1974
      End:
      01/1989
    • Foreign Service
      US Department of State
      Start:
      01/1969
      End:
      01/1973

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    Reunion Class

    • 1968

    Graduation Year

    • 1968

    Major(s)

    • Political Science

    National Honor Societies

    • Sphinx

    Prizes

    • 2 Hardy/Kellogg/Gilbert/Slingerland/Bowles

    Secondary Schools

    • DuSable High School

    Higher Ed

    • Princeton University
      Field of Study:
      International Relations
      Degree:
      Master of Arts
      Year:
      1974

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    Volunteering

    • Trustee Nominating Committee
      Role:
      Member
      Start:
      July 2001
      End:
      June 2004
    • Executive Committee of the Alumni Council
      Role:
      Member
      Start:
      July 1977
      End:
      June 1980
    • Amherst Association of New York
      Role:
      Vice President
      Start:
      July 1973
      End:
      June 1976
    • Alumni Fund
      Role:
      Associate Agent
      End:
      November 2019

    Fraternity

    • Phi Delta Sigma Fraternity

    Extracurricular Activities

    • Afro-American Society
    • Cheerleader
    • Freshman Council
    • Prom Committee
    • The Amherst Student

    Awards/ Recognition

    • In 2002, Dan was named as one of the top 50 African Americans on Wall Street by Black Enterprise magazine (09/18/02).

    Community/ Professional Activities

    • Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
      Role:
      Board Member
    • Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
      Role:
      Board Member
    • Mark Degermo Dance
      Role:
      Advisory Council
    • Mark Degermo Dance
      Role:
      President
    • The Metropolitan Opera Audit Committee
      Role:
      Board Member

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