Diana Taylor (superintendent)

Diana Lancaster Taylor
Born	(1955-02-06) February 6, 1955 Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Business leader, government official
Known for	New York Superintendent of Banks (2003–2007), First Lady of New York City (2002–2013)

Diana Lancaster Taylor (born February 6, 1955) is a prominent American business leader who held the position of New York Superintendent of Banks from 2003 until 2007. She also fulfilled the role of New York City's First Lady from 2002 to 2013 through her long-term partnership with politician and entrepreneur Michael Bloomberg.

Early life

Taylor was born in Greenwich, Connecticut. Reflecting on her early years in an interview with The New York Times, she remarked that her life unfolded quite differently than the conventional suburban family trajectory once anticipated.

Education

Her education began at Greenwich Country Day School, where her mother was a teacher, followed by a year at Milton Academy before completing her secondary education at Greenwich High School. She obtained an A.B. degree in economics from Dartmouth College, then earned a Master of Public Health from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, alongside an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Career

Following her graduation from Dartmouth, Taylor started her career at the New York City Department of Social Services. During her MBA studies, she balanced evening and weekend work as an administrator at St. Vincent's Hospital in Brooklyn and gained experience in public finance at Smith Barney, which offered her a full-time position upon completing Columbia. Her professional journey continued with roles at Lehman Brothers and Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette.

In 1996, Taylor took on the role of assistant secretary to Governor George Pataki. She subsequently held positions at Keyspan Energy and served as chief financial officer for the Long Island Power Authority before returning to Pataki’s administration as deputy secretary. Her appointment as New York State superintendent of banks came in May 2003. By 2007, she transitioned to become managing director at Wolfensohn Fund Management.

Taylor contributes her expertise as a board member for ACCION International and the YMCA of Greater New York, while also serving on the boards of Citigroup and Brookfield Properties. Additionally, she holds the vice chair position at Solera Capital.

In 2006, Taylor was under consideration by the George W. Bush administration for the role of Chairwoman and CEO of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), although she was not ultimately selected. She also weighed a potential candidacy as a Republican in the 2010 special U.S. Senate election in New York against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand but chose not to pursue it.

Personal life

Taylor first encountered Michael Bloomberg at a Citizens Budget Commission event in 2000. Since then, she has acted as an unofficial first lady during his tenure as mayor, participating in public engagements and supporting his campaigns. During the 2005 New York City transit strike, she notably remained alongside Bloomberg overnight at the Office of Emergency Management headquarters. Furthermore, she campaigned with Bloomberg during his efforts in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries across multiple states.

Her civic involvement extends to nonprofit and corporate boards such as Hot Bread Kitchen, the International Women's Health Coalition, The New York Women's Foundation, ACCION, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, Sotheby's, Citigroup, Brookfield Properties, and Dartmouth College. In 2018, Taylor changed her political registration to the Democratic Party.

External links

• "The Mayor's Lady." The New York Times, February 12, 2006