Howard William Lutnick was born on 14 July 1961 in Long Island, New York, to Dr. Solomon Lutnick who was a history professor at Queens College in Flushing, New York and Jane Lutnick who was a painter and sculptor. Howard is the middle child of 3. He has an old sister Edie Lutnick and a younger brother Gary Lutnick.Howard Lutnick attended Haverford College. During the first week of his freshman year, his father passed away and the president and dean of Haverford College offered Howard a full scholarship for his entire college education. To this day, Howard is very appreciative of what Haverford College provided for him.After graduating from Haverford College in 1983 with a degree in economics, Howard began working for Cantor Fitzgerald. When Howard Lutnick was 29 he was named second in command of Cantor Fitzgerald and a year later Howard became the president and CEO of Cantor in 1991 and Chairman in 1996.On September 11, 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 employees, including Howard's brother Gary, to the terrorist attack. Howard was very heartbroken and vowed to the families who lost a love one that Cantor will take care of them. September 14, 201, Cantor created Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund and Howard donated $1 million of his personal money to the fund. In 2006, Cantor paid a total of $180 million to the families.After Hurricane Sandy, Howard led Cantor to donate $10 million to New Yorkers who live in the neighborhoods affected by Hurricane Sandy.