Richard Howard Neiman, age 76, died peacefully on October 28, 2026, following a lengthy illness. Richard was born in Paterson, New Jersey, on August 11, 1950, to the late Helen (Katz) and Dr. Arnold Neiman. A natural leader from a young age, he was raised in Glen Rock, New Jersey, and served as class president at Glen Rock High School. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from American University in 1972 and a juris doctor from Emory University School of Law in 1975.
After graduating from law school, Richard enjoyed a long and distinguished career that spanned banking, law, consulting, and public service. He began at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in Washington, D.C., where he served as Special Assistant to the Chief Counsel. He then spent nearly 30 years in the private sector, holding senior legal, regulatory, and executive roles across the financial services industry. These included General Counsel of Citicorp’s Global Equities Group, Director of Regulatory Advisory Services at Price Waterhouse, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of TD Waterhouse Group, and President and Chief Executive Officer of TD Bank USA. On March 5, 2007, Richard returned to the public sector when he was appointed the 43rd New York Superintendent of Banks. Following the onset of the 2008 financial crisis, he was appointed by Congress as one of five members of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, which included the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Richard was especially proud of these years of public service, which allowed him to put a lifetime of financial expertise to work fighting for homeowners, consumers, and taxpayers.
After concluding his service at the New York State Banking Department in 2011, Richard returned to the private sector as Vice Chairman of PwC’s financial services regulatory practice. In 2014, he joined LendingClub, then the nation’s largest online lending marketplace, as Head of Regulatory and Public Policy, and later continued with the company as a Senior Advisor. While at LendingClub, he co-founded the American Fintech Council and the Responsible Business Lending Coalition, helping to pass some of the first laws protecting small business owners from predatory lending. He also served on the Board of Directors of Coinbase Custody Trust Company, where he chaired the Audit and Compliance Committee and brought his decades of regulatory experience to the emerging digital asset industry. Beyond his professional roles, he gave back generously to the city of New York, serving on the boards of the Henry Street Settlement, which provides social services and shelter to families in need, and the Harlem Educational Activities Fund, which helps students in Harlem and Washington Heights prepare for college. His career accomplishments and dedication to public service earned wide recognition, including the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy Distinguished Public Service Award and the Foreign Policy Association Medal for Public Service.
For all of his professional success, Richard’s greatest accomplishments were his family and the warmth, curiosity, and joy with which he lived each day. He was a devoted husband to Eileen and a loving, endlessly proud father to their daughters, Haley and Heather. A longtime New Yorker and beloved member of the Rye community, Richard was always on the move: he especially enjoyed playing tennis and riding his bike. A lifelong lover of the beach, he spent many happy summers in the Hamptons with friends and later found a special place in the town of Brewster on Cape Cod, where annual summer vacations with his family became a cherished tradition. Perhaps above all, Richard will be remembered for the way he made others feel. He carried with him an innate belief in other people’s goodness, always put the needs of those around him above his own, and was famous for making friends wherever he went. He was a natural optimist who lived life to the fullest and was happiest when surrounded by old friends, new acquaintances, and, most of all, his family.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Eileen McCarthy Neiman; his daughters, Haley and Heather; his sisters, Dr. Beth Neiman (Neil Hodes) and Nancy Brown (Darrell); and many loving nieces, nephews, in-laws, and close friends.
Services were held at the Community Synagogue of Rye on Friday, October 30.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Richard to the Community Synagogue of Rye or the Henry Street Settlement.
