Bank of America investment banker and former Green Beret dies ‘from natural causes’ after joining firm following military career
By Germania Rodriguez Poleo For Dailymail.Com
16:05 07 May 2024, updated 20:23 07 May 2024
- Leo Lukenas III, 35, died of natural causes in New York on Thursday
- He served in the Green Berets for a decade before moving to banking last year
- Did you work with Lukenas? Contact [email protected]
A Bank of America investment banker and former Green Beret has died, the bank said on Monday.
Leo Lukenas III, 35, died of natural causes on Thursday, according to the New York Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The married Brooklyn resident and father-of-two died of ‘acute coronary artery thrombus,’ the office said.
The disease causes the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel of the heart.
Lukenas’ stepmother told DailyMail.com the family was ‘devastated’ by the loss.
Bank of America said ‘our focus is on doing whatever we can to support the family and our team, who is devastated.’
The associate was part of the financial institutions group (FIG) team that advises bank clients on deals, according to a source familiar with the situation, and was also a former member of the US Green Beret special forces.
Lukenas spent 10 years in the military and started working at Bank of America a little over a year ago.
Originally from California, he started at the bank through the Veteran Associate Program.
On LinkedIn, he described himself as an ‘Investment banking associate leveraging a decade of experience as a Green Beret leading high-performing teams in volatile, complex, and ambiguous environments.’
Lukenas is survived by his parents, wife, son and daughter, and twin brother Les, who is also a Green Beret.
A donation page was opened in honor on Tuesday with a goal of $1,000,000.
The page reads: ‘Leo Lukenas was a son, brother, husband, Green Beret, and most importantly, a father.
‘He spent over a decade in Army Special Operations, deploying multiple times with 1st Special Forces Group.
‘Leo was dedicated to everything he did, never settling for good enough. He always set the example and held himself to the highest standards, prioritizing the team and mission success over himself. With the heart of a lion, Leo always fought to defend what was right.
‘Leo transitioned out of the military to pursue new opportunities for his family. Now, in remembrance of Leo, it’s our duty to support his family just like he would have done for all of us.’
