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Gabe Segal Gives Back
  • Alumni Story

Gabe Segal (Heilicher ’01) graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a master’s degree in industrial engineering and has developed a career in the financial sector.

“When it came time to decide on volunteer work, I wanted to get involved in something that had personal meaning to me,” Gabe said. “Heilicher gave me a great foundational education during an important period of my life. Giving back to the school was something I wanted to do.

Gabe Segal (Heilicher ’01) graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a master’s degree in industrial engineering and has developed a career in the financial sector.

“When it came time to decide on volunteer work, I wanted to get involved in something that had personal meaning to me,” Gabe said. “Heilicher gave me a great foundational education during an important period of my life. Giving back to the school was something I wanted to do.”

Joining the Board

Gabe joined the Heilicher Board of Trustees in 2018. Two years ago he became a member of the finance committee, and he has now been the treasurer for one year.

“It is really meaningful to have alumni serve on the Board,” Robyn Schein, Board president, said. “Gabe recognizes what the school provided him in his formative years and is actively giving back with his time and energy. He exemplifies what we hope for our students: that they grow up to be engaged and involved leaders in the Jewish community.”

She added, “In his role as treasurer, Gabe and I work closely on the financial health of the school. Gabe is thoughtful, inquisitive, and diligent. He brings his professional skills to the Board and is an important voice of the future of the school.”

Gabe is vice president at Norwest Mezzanine Partners, a Minneapolis private equity group that makes investments in private companies. Prior to his five years at Norwest, he was an investment banking analyst.

He said, “I understand the ins and outs of the financial statements and position of the school as well as have the strategic angle to evaluate Heilicher’s finances and help solve any financial issues.”

Heilicher as a Foundation for Success

Gabe credits Heilicher with setting him up for success: “I definitely think that the individualized and one-onone education opportunities that the school gave were beneficial to me. The school allowed me to pursue my areas of interest and my strong suits, such as math and science — while not letting me fall behind in the other areas. This was an important lesson about cultivating a passion and recognizing how having a passion can help you succeed and excel.”

That success applies to relationships as well. “I made a couple of lifelong friends at Heilicher that I’m still friends with today,” Gabe said. “I think that was key to me recognizing the importance of relationships in my life and working to maintain those.”

It’s not only the friends that he remembers. Gabe recalled his sixth-grade teacher who he said pushed him to do his best in math. “She knew math was a subject I enjoyed and was good at, and I think her encouragement was overall a great experience for me and set me up for much of the rest of my life,” Gabe said.

Already a vice president at his company, Gabe has big goals and an entrepreneurial spirit. He hopes to found and run his own company some day. Gabe lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Michelle, and their two dogs, Kona and Maui. In his free time he enjoys snowboarding and sailing.