In Memoriam: Stephen Prostano, 68
Private Banking/Investment Services, Chase
Stephen (Steve) Emanuel Prostano, 68, of Greenwich, CT (formerly Rye, NY), former President of Chase Global Asset Management, died on August 11, 2026.
He grew up with his younger sister in Hamden, CT. He graduated from Boston College and attended the University of Miami School of Law. Years later, all three of his children attended BC, a source of great pride.
He truly believed that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life - and honored that philosophy to the end. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Prostano became a respected innovator and leader in wealth management, multi-family office and global financial services.
He grew up with his younger sister in Hamden, CT. He graduated from Boston College and attended the University of Miami School of Law. Years later, all three of his children attended BC, a source of great pride.
He truly believed that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life - and honored that philosophy to the end. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Prostano became a respected innovator and leader in wealth management, multi-family office and global financial services.
He began his career at KPMG and worked in Private Banking and Investment Services at Chase from 1993 to 2000.
He was the Partner-in-Charge of the Center for Private Business Owners, which delivers comprehensive solutions for private business owners to help them achieve their business and personal financial goals. Prior to joining the Firm, Steve was the Head of Family Wealth Advisors, a division of Bank of the West Wealth Management, an affiliate of BNP Paribas, where he built the first global, multi-family office in the United States. Additionally, he served on the Bank of the West’s Senior Management Committee. He was also the founder of The UHNW Institute,
Prostano previously served as CEO of Silver Bridge, President of Atlantic Trust and a Global Partner of Amvescap, President of Chase Global Asset Management and Executive Vice President of the Private Clients Group of FleetBoston Financial. He also held senior positions with Mellon Bank.
Despite all the roles he held over the years, Prostano measured his career less by titles than by the relationships he built. Beginning in his earliest days at Chase, colleagues quickly became lifelong friends, and those friendships followed him throughout every chapter of his career.
Perhaps his proudest professional accomplishment was founding The UHNW Institute: a nonprofit, independent “Think Tank” and publisher of exceptional thought leadership content for UHNW families, family offices, their advisors and the financial services industry, advancing family wealth education through research, collaboration, events, and the Ten Domains of Family Wealth framework. The institute combined what he loved most about his work: great people, big ideas and meaningful relationships. It became his passion and a huge part of his legacy.
Prostano received several distinguished industry awards, including Family Wealth Report’s leading Individual in the MFO Industry and Private Asset Magazine’s Outstanding Contributor to the Wealth Management Industry.
He is survived by Laura, his wife of 47 years, whom he met in middle school Spanish class and dated at Boston College; their three children, Taryn (Prostano) Barrett (Chris), Dana Prostano (Eric Kochanski) and Alex Prostano (Bethany); and five grandchildren
The family asks that donations be made in Steve's memory to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to support research toward better treatments and a cure for CMML.