Howard M. Meyers

Howard Meyers was born in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey. At that time, his father worked in a shipyard building vessels for the war effort. After World War II ended, he formed a three-man business painting and wallpapering homes. Howard’s father was a disciplined man who taught his son right from wrong and emphasized the importance of working hard.

Looking back on his youth, Howard remembers he was anxious to grow up. School held little interest for him. He began working at the age of 14 and was ready to get on with his adult life.

Howard’s parents strongly encouraged him to obtain a college education. He began at C.W. Post College of Long Island University. To earn money towards his college education, in his sophomore year, Howard started as an hourly worker at a Metals Smelter and Refinery, an industry he has been in ever since. He found this work interesting and knew he wanted to stay within that field after he graduated. After his third semester, Howard transferred to New York University’s business school (now NYU Stern). While working full-time as a salaried employee during his junior and senior years, he earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree (in accounting, finance, and economics) in three-and-a-half years.

To fulfill his military obligation, Howard joined the United States Navy as a reservist. After completing active duty, he worked for American Metal Climax. Five years later, the family that owned the business he worked at during his college years gave him an opportunity to buy the company, if he would return to the company and assist in its reorganization. In 1970, with the reorganization accomplished, he, along with other investors, bought what has become Quexco Incorporated. He has served as Chairman and CEO ever since.

Founder of Quexco, a diversified metals company which operated 17 non-ferrous smelting and refining facilities, three anode and flat roll producing facilities, along with plastic related and mining businesses, through its operating subsidiaries and affiliates, located throughout The European Union, North America, and South Africa.

Mr. Meyers serves on the Board of Trustees of New York University; its Executive, Finance and Investment Committees; the NYU Stern Executive Board, NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing Dean’s Council, Horatio Alger Association Board of Directors, University of Texas MD Anderson Board of Visitors, UT Southwestern President’s Advisory Board and Southwestern Medical Foundation Board of Trustees. He has been a Director of Battery Council International, Director of the Steel Manufacturers Association, St. Mark’s School of Texas, National Association of Recycling Industries, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, and the Lead Industry Association.

Much of his philanthropy is given anonymously. Three of the publicly disclosed donations include a $30 million dollar donation to the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing for undergraduate students whose parents are below the poverty line. Approximately 60% of the undergraduate students at the Nursing College will receive scholarships covering their tuition, room and board. $15 million to the Dallas Arboretum for the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden dedicated to his wife Rory and $10 million to New York University, which funded a 10-year program called Paths to Peace. This program brought together a total of 128 students over a ten-year period (16 students per year, 8 per semester) with different faiths and backgrounds from Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza to study and live together at NYU. Unfortunately, Paths to Peace has been discontinued as a result of the anti-normalization campaigns on the West Bank and in Gaza.