Richard Sommer ’83

Richard Sommer died suddenly of heart failure Sept. 6, 2011, in London.

Richard was born June 18, 1961, in Indianapolis. He was president of his class at New Trier High School East in Winnetka, Ill. At Princeton, he served as a resident adviser and was a member of Ivy Club. He earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and a Rhodes scholarship. At Christ Church College in Oxford, he earned a master’s degree in philosophy in 1985. After working for McKinsey in Chicago, Richard attended Stanford Law School, earning a law degree in 1990.

Richard served as CEO or senior executive at De La Cruz Occupational Health Care, MedChannel, IndyMac Bank, Homegain.com, Zip Realty and Live Deal, and Rothman Healthcare Corp. He was active in community service, starting with Operation Push in Chicago in 1979, and as a board member for AIDS Project Los Angeles. He received the President’s Voluntary Service Award in 2008.

He loved travel, good food, fine wine, and the San Francisco and Metropolitan operas.

Few people could fill a room like Richard. His countless friends will miss his passion for life, his booming laugh, and his selfless contributions. He is survived by his mother, Margaret, and sisters Mary and Barbara.