John R. Held graduated from Siena in 1980 with a B.B.A. in Accounting. After Siena, he
obtained his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Fordham University School of Law, where he served on the Fordham Law Review and graduated with Honors in 1983.
He began his career with the former Coopers & Lybrand in New York, specializing in US Taxation of Business Enterprises. From there, he spent 26 years as a Senior Tax Counsel for the General Electric Company, finishing his career as a Consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers in 2022.
He currently serves as Chair of the Governance Committee on Siena’s Board of Trustees. John has been a long time supporter of the College, serving on the Board of Advisors, various committees and task forces. Together with his wife, Mary Ryan Held ‘83, they have contributed toward academic scholarships, the President’s Fund for Excellence, the Presidential Franciscan Mission Fund, financial aid for students to attend the Pilgrimage in Franciscan Italy, the construction of Gioia Hall and the Annual Fund. Notably, John and Mary provided the seed money for the Siena Beverage Institute. SBI is a co-curricular activity with participation of faculty, students, staff, alumni, Friars and friends of the College. It introduces students to the history, production, marketing and healthy enjoyment of beverages as a part of our culture. Most importantly, students learn how to assist local producers in marketing their products and how to order/consume these beverages in both professional and personal settings.
It’s a tremendous honor to receive the award named for Fr. Ben who was the face of Siena for so many years. Just reading the list of the dozens of other recipients who’ve contributed so much to Siena, one must accept this recognition with gratitude and humility.