Joe Rosenfield ’25 was a classic out-of-the-box thinker. From his days as a Grinnell student in the early 1920s to serving as the chairman at Younkers to becoming an instrumental figure in Grinnell College history, Rosenfield’s thinking and warm personality made a positive impact on almost everyone he met.
In Mentor: Life and Legacy of Joe Rosenfield (Business Publications Corporation, 2019), George Drake ’56 chronicles Rosenfield’s life, wit, and steadfast love for Grinnell College. Rosenfield served on the College’s Board of Trustees from 1941 until his death in 2000. His favorite sport, even counting his 5% stake in the Chicago Cubs, was making money for Grinnell. His own smarts and close friendship with famous investor Warren Buffett helped grow Grinnell College’s endowment from $78,000 at the beginning of Rosenfield’s board service to just over $1 billion more than a half-century later. Mentor is available for sale at the Pioneer Bookshop.