Date: Fri 17-Apr-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Lasher-philanthropy

Full Text:

Lasher Helps Bring Wall Street To Washington Heights

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Newtown resident Howard Lasher recently took some time off from his busy Wall

Street schedule to pay a visit to some old friends at an inner-city junior

high school.

Mr Lasher, a trader on the floor of the American Stock Exchange, dropped by

New York City's St Jude School two years ago to contribute funds after the

school was robbed of money students had raised for an after-school basketball

program. Last month, he stopped in again, this time to put on a program

entitled "Wall Street Comes to Washington Heights."

During the day, Mr Lasher shared with students the concepts and practices of

the business world. As St Jude principal Michael J. Deegan pointed out, Mr

Lasher also instilled values in the children, sharing with them his humble

beginning and his rise to his present position as owner of the Lasher Group,

Inc.

"He enthusiastically encouraged the children to finish high school, attend

college, not to settle, to dream big and never compromise cherished

principles," Mr Deegan wrote in a letter to American Stock Exchange president

Richard Syron. "What an outstanding role model for these children."

Mr Lasher said he first heard about the robbery at the school while listening

to 1010 WINS radio on his way home from work. He called the school the

following day to see what he could do to help.

Mr Lasher lives in Manhattan during the week and comes home to relax at his

home on Dodgingtown Road on the weekend.