Timothy Coughlin ‘80

September 06, 2011

A Friend on Every Corner

Tim Coughlin loved people - from all walks of life. A successful securities broker at Cantor Fitzgerald, he didn't discriminate when it came to forging friendships. Among his very wide social circle were his building's doorman, the guy who handed out towels at the gym, and the couple who journeyed from Canada each year to sell Christmas trees on the corner.

"They came for a month and lived in their van on 6th Avenue," recounts Tim's wife, Maura. "He visited them almost every night, bringing hot food, and referred a lot of people to them." Kevin, the former towel handler, is now a successful broker, thanks to Tim's intercession. "He could see Kevin had it in him to make it on Wall Street, so he gave him a break," she explains.

But Tim moved equally as comfortably in the high-powered world of Ivy League financiers in corporate boardrooms and on golf courses. He was senior managing director at Cantor Fitzgerald, and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of his work.

"Tim had a wonderful facility for names and faces. He remembered where people were from and where they worked," says his brother, Frank. "But his interest was genuine, and he worked hard at his friendships."

A lifelong athlete and former captain of Stonehill's football team, Tim kept himself fit by golfing, swimming and competing in triathlons. "He was extremely competitive - and even in his leisure time, never lost that competitive edge," says Frank. "But, if you just saw him on the golf course though, you wouldn't know how devoted he was to his family." Weekends would find Tim in Central Park with his children, Ryann, 4; Sean, 3; and Riley, 6 months - biking, at the zoo or on the carousel. "He was crazy about the kids," notes Maura.

"Timmy... was passionate about everything in his life... his family, his friends, his work [and] sports," his childhood friend, Kevin Conway, told Newsday after his death. And his passion drew people in and kept them there. When the doorman from Tim's building came to the wake, Frank joked with him about Tim's propensity as a good tipper. "No, it wasn't that," replied the doorman, "Timmy was my friend."

"This profile originally appeared in the Spring 2002 edition of Stonehill Alumni Magazine."

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