NEW YORK CITY — Richard Parsons, the former Time Warner CEO and one of the most prominent Black executives in America, died Thursday. He was 76. who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76.
Parsons, known to many as “Dick Parsons,” reportedly died at his home in Manhattan. He was previously diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which was attributed to him cutting back on his work.
Parsons, who was a Republican, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Parsons entered college at the age of 16, skipping two grades before graduating high school, and finished at the top of his class at Albany Law School.
Parsons overcame racism and discrimination, and was a vocal advocate for more Black CEOs in Corporate America.
He helped rebuild Time Warner Inc. after the company’s controversial merger with America Online Inc. He joined Citigroup in 2009 and helped guide the company to profitability after the economic fallout of the subprime mortgage crisis.
He was also named interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014 after the fallout over racist comments made by former owner Donald Sterling.
Illness also led to Parsons resigning from the board of CBS in September 2018 after joining about a month prior.
More on Richard Parson’s career and legacy.
