Terry L. March

Terry L. March, founder and CEO of Midwood Securities, a Manhattan brokerage firm specializing in serving institutional investors, passed away November 6 at the age of 63. Mr. March balanced his successful professional career with dedicated service to his alma mater, Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. Mr. March was the former chair of the Susquehanna University Board of Trustees and a tireless volunteer, friend and supporter of the university. He was elected to the board in 1990 as a representative of the Alumni Association and continued to serve as a trustee until his death. He was elected vice chair in 2000 and served as chair from 2003 until October 2008. Mr. March was born February 1, 1945 in Newport, PA to Pauline and Kenneth March, where he was raised and graduated from Newport High School in 1963. He graduated with a degree in accounting from Susquehanna University in 1967. Mr. March worked for more than 30 years in the securities industry, with senior-level responsibilities in finance, marketing, investment banking and strategic planning. After earning his baccalaureate degree, he began his career as a staff accountant for Price Waterhouse & Co. and later became assistant controller at Dillon Read & Co. Inc. He became a controller and vice president of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., and in 1982 founded March & Thompson, a consulting and auditing firm in New York City. He sold the firm six years later and founded Midwood. He served as CEO until early 2008 when he appointed his son, Ed, to the post. Mr. March continued as Chairman of the Board at Midwood until his death. During his years of service to the Susquehanna board, Mr. March helped put in place a process for transforming how the board governs itself and the institution. "Leading the board's good-to-great effort, he harnessed its energy for excellence and a commitment to continuous improvement, turning the board into a national model of governance," Susquehanna President L. Jay Lemons said. "He fervently believed that if friends worked together, they could achieve great things. And indeed, under Terry's careful and attentive leadership, we did." Current Susquehanna Board Chair and CEO of Prudential, John R. Strangfeld said, "Terry was a dear friend and colleague. He has left a great legacy at Susquehanna - one the board will continue in his honor. The board is saddened by his loss and I am honored to follow the path he has carefully laid as chair of the Susquehanna board of trustees." Mr. March was regarded by his friends, family and colleagues as a man of passion, integrity and vision. Through his philanthropy, he and his wife, Pauline, changed the lives of students and helped build a future for the university. They endowed the Terry and Pauline March Scholarship Fund in 1997 and the March Diversity Scholarship, which provided annual scholarships for promising students. They also endowed the March Fund for Accounting, which supports the professional development of Susquehanna's accounting faculty. He and his wife were founding members of the Susquehanna Society, which honors supporters who have given a cumulative total of $1 million or more to the university. The coaches' suite in Susquehanna's sports complex is named in memory of a grandson, Noah March-Dole, who died shortly after his birth in 1998. Mr. March was active as a volunteer for the university beginning in 1987. He was credited with helping to organize a network of alumni working in the New York financial services industry. From 1993-1995, he chaired the National Committee on Annual Giving, and he was major gifts chair for the Susquehanna 2000 campaign. He was a past president of the Alumni Association, and was awarded the university's Alumni Achievement Award in 1998. He also served on the Sigmund Weis School of Business Advisory Council. In recognition of their service to the university, Terry and Pauline March received honorary degrees in July at the board's annual retreat at Skytop, Pa. Terry March received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree and Pauline received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Mr. March was active in many industry, educational and community organizations. He was a member of the New York Stock Exchange and the New York area firms advisory committee of the NYSE board of directors. He chaired the Securities Industry Association's institutional brokerage committee and was a director of the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School. He was also a member of the U.S. Tennis Association's Tennis and Education Foundation board of directors, an equity owner of the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, Calif., served on the Association of the Southampton Hospital and was a member of the Liberty Leads advisory board. Mr. March leaves his wife, Pauline Maurer March, whom he met in the fifth grade. Pauline was his partner in family, business and service. The Marches most recently made their home in East Greenville, PA., after having resided in Water Mill, NY for many years. In addition to his wife, Mr. March leaves his mother, Pauline; a son, Edward and his wife, Veronica; a daughter, Penelope March-Dole; and three grandchildren, Jonah, Savannah and Elizabeth Ann; a brother, Donald, and his wife, Patricia; a sister-in-law, Doris Maurer and her husband Jerry Budzik; a brother-in-law Richard Mauer and his wife, Beth; several nieces and a nephew. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Nov 10 at the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, 821 West Broad Street, Quakertown, PA. and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov 11 at Trinity Great Swamp United Church of Christ 9150 Spinnerstown Rd. Spinnerstown, PA. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Trinity Great Swamp United Church of Christ. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Susquehanna University, Selingsgrove, PA (www.susqu.edu) contact Jay Lemons at 570-372-4130 or Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA (www.geisinger.org) contact Geisinger Medical Center at 570-271-6461 or Lehigh Valley Hospital (www.secure.lvhhn.org/donations or 610-402-6385. Service Information A service summary is not available