Bruce Heyman
Bruce Heyman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 Elmira, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, author, diplomat |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | U.S. Ambassador to Canada (2014–2017) |
Bruce Alan Heyman (born 1958) is a prominent American entrepreneur, author, and former diplomat who held the position of U.S. Ambassador to Canada between 2014 and 2017 during President Barack Obama's administration.
Heyman received confirmation from the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2014, and was officially sworn in by then-Vice President Joe Biden on March 26, 2014. He formally began his ambassadorial duties by presenting credentials to the Governor General of Canada on April 8, 2014, concluding his service on January 18, 2017.
As of 2024, Heyman serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Power Sustainable Capital, a global firm specializing in alternative asset management.
Early life and education
Born in Elmira, New York into a Jewish household, Heyman grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He completed his secondary education at the Miami Valley School before earning both a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979 and a Master of Business Administration in 1980 from Vanderbilt University.
His grandfather, Sam Malamud, emigrated from Lithuania in 1912 and later changed the family name to Heyman.
During 1977 and 1978, Heyman gained experience as an intern for Congressman Charles Whalen of Ohio at the U.S. House of Representatives. In the summer of 1979, he contributed as a researcher for the Small Business Committee’s Antitrust and Restraint of Trade Subcommittee.
Career
Heyman launched his professional journey in 1980 as an investment banker based in Chicago with Goldman Sachs. He progressed from Vice President (1985–1999) to managing director of private wealth management (1999–2014), attaining Goldman partnership status in 2004 until his appointment as ambassador in 2014.
Prior to his diplomatic tenure, Heyman held influential board memberships at both the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation. Additionally, he contributed as an advisor to the Fix the Debt CEO Council under the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, maintaining active involvement with The Economic Club of Chicago and The Executives' Club of Chicago.
On September 19, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Heyman—who had played a significant role as a fundraiser during Obama’s campaigns—for the post of U.S. Ambassador to Canada. Following Senate confirmation on March 12, 2014, he took over from Ambassador David Jacobson. During his ambassadorship, Heyman joined the Board of Directors for Fulbright Canada. He was recognized among the Top 50 Most Powerful Business People by Canadian Business magazine in both 2014 and 2016.
In 2015, Heyman was invited to deliver the keynote speech at Niagara University’s commencement ceremony and was honored with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Heyman concluded his ambassadorial role in January 2017 and was succeeded by Ambassador Kelly Craft. Alongside his wife Vicki, he co-wrote The Art of Diplomacy: Strengthening the Canada-U.S. Relationship in Times of Uncertainty (2019), which chronicles their diplomatic engagements with Canadian governments within the framework of Obama's foreign policy.
In 2019, Heyman was named co-chairman of the advisory board for the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center located in Washington, DC.
By 2024, Heyman assumed leadership as CEO of Power Sustainable, an asset management branch under Power Corporation, concentrating on renewable energy ventures across North America. This followed three years advising board chairman and outgoing CEO Olivier Desmarais.
Political activities
Beginning in 2007, Heyman and his wife emerged as significant contributors to then-Senator Barack Obama's campaigns, hosting fundraising gatherings and ranking among the leading fundraisers. By 2012, both were members of Obama's National Finance Committee, together donating or raising a total of $1.7 million to support his re-election efforts.
In the 2020 Presidential Election, the Heymans took on co-chair roles for the Biden campaign’s American Voter Abroad Initiative and spearheaded the outreach team known as Ambassadors for Biden. As of 2024, Heyman has openly endorsed Biden’s bid for a second term and remains actively involved with the American Voter Abroad Initiative.
Personal life
Heyman is married to Vicki Simons, a fellow Vanderbilt graduate who shares his Jewish heritage; their wedding took place on June 15, 1980, in Ashland, Kentucky. The couple has three children—David, Liza, and Caroline—and six grandchildren.
Vicki Heyman has held positions on the executive board of Vanderbilt University's Center for Jewish Life as well as on the foundation board of Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital. The Heymans continue to maintain an active presence within Chicago’s Jewish community.