Brian Thomas Cummins: A Math Whiz
Early On
Brian
Thomas Cummins was the fourth of six boys who remained
close all their lives. His four surviving brothers are
married but Brian was not. He was a surfer, skier and he
loved to go out.
"Some people might say he burnt the candle at both
ends &emdash; and we're glad he did," said his brother
Brendan.
Mr. Cummins, 38, who lived in Manasquan, N.J., was a
market maker and partner at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was
born in New Jersey and was known as a math whiz, winning
state prizes beginning in the fifth grade. He attended
the University of Colorado and then started a seafood
restaurant, the Lobster Trap, in Belmar, N.J.
After he got his M.B.A. from Rutgers, he gave up the
restaurant and went to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette,
working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Then
he joined Cantor Fitzgerald, where he started as an
assistant trader.
"His colleagues and bosses would all probably say the
same thing about Brian &emdash; he was driven to
succeed," his brother Brendan said. "I believe he enjoyed
the process of accomplishing and shunned the idea of his
own success and replaced it with the desire to do better.
He was one of the sharpest guys I've ever met."
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