About Bernard L. Schwartz

Bernard L. Schwartz is chairman and CEO of BLS Investments, LLC, a private investment firm. He also manages the investments of the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation, which mainly supports higher education, medical research and New York City-based cultural organizations. He promotes the development of U.S. economic policy initiatives through investment in educational institutions, think tanks and advocacy organizations. Mr. Schwartz is also an active supporter of the Democratic Party.

Prior to establishing BLS Investments in March 2006, Mr. Schwartz served for 34 years as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Loral Space & Communications and its predecessor company, Loral Corporation. In 1972, Mr. Schwartz took the helm at Loral, which became, under his leadership, a Fortune 200 designer and manufacturer of advanced, state-of-the-art systems, hardware and systems integration for the defense and aerospace industries. Through its successful strategy of acquisition and internal development, the company achieved extraordinary growth, posting 96 consecutive quarters of increased earnings from 1972 to 1996. Over that period, Loral made more than 40 acquisitions and its market value rose from $7.5 million to $15 billion. At its height, the company employed more than 30,000 employees in numerous countries around the world. In 1996, Mr. Schwartz directed the divestment of Loral's defense businesses and formed Loral Space & Communications, one of the world's largest satellite manufacturing and satellite services companies. In connection with this transaction, Loral collectively paid a dividend to its shareholders of more than $9 billion, primarily in cash and the balance in stock of the new Loral Space & Communications.

In addition, Bernard Schwartz personally established a fund of more than $18 million for distribution to employees of Loral to mitigate any negative effects on those employees from the sale of Loral's defense businesses.

In recognition of his achievements and extensive experience in industry and global finance, Mr. Schwartz is often called upon to express his views or provide counsel on matters ranging from U.S. economic growth and competitiveness to technology and infrastructure investment. At a number of institutions, he has initiated programs that rigorously examine current U.S. economic performance, in the process challenging current orthodoxy to arrive at innovative policy proposals that will further U.S. economic and technological preeminence. The programs employ lectures, position papers, conferences and debates, and tap the expertise of leading economists, business people and policy makers. The policy proposals that emerge from these programs are broadly distributed to government officials, members of Congress, educators, researchers, the media and the general public.

Additional Background

Mr. Schwartz graduated from City College of New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and holds an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from the college. He was born in Brooklyn and has resided in New York City all of his life. He and his wife are the parents of two daughters and have four grandchildren.

Economic Policy Development

Bernard L. Schwartz has established programs at institutions that advocate leveraging America’s economic success...
Read More

Political Initiatives

Bernard L. Schwartz is a life-long supporter of the Democratic Party...
Read More

Philanthropic Support

Through the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation, Mr. Schwartz and his family support numerous educational, medical and cultural organizations...

Read More

Printable Bio

Full Version (PDF)

Short Version (PDF)