Obituary of Paul G. Lowell

Paul G. Lowell, 71, of Cathedral Gardens, Hempstead, NY, passed away on April 15, 2023. Lowell was a proud alumni of Hofstra University. He graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and played soccer and lacrosse. On the first day of Calculus I, he met his wife Barbara Winter and took her on their first date sailing Long Island Sound. Lowell did post graduate work at the Graduate Center of CUNY before heading to Wall Street where he was a well-known bond trader for Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers. He co-founded the Long Island Venture Fund and was a founding member and Managing Director of Topspin Partners, which primarily invested in early-stage, technology-based companies. Lowell sat on the board of directors for Topspin’s investment companies, CosmoCom, FatWire Software, and Netomat and was an adviser on effective ways to grow business. Reflecting on his work at Topspin, he said, “At the end of the day, the realization that these young companies now employ hundreds of people across our region is the most fulfilling part of my job.” Beyond his work in venture capital, Lowell loved to sail. He was a member of Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club and New York Yacht Club. He was an avid racer and tactician with a need for speed and adventure. With his N/M 43 Agincourt, he placed second in the 2000 Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship Cruising/Racing Division and in 2002 sailed what a friend on the crew described as “the famously fast & bumpy” Newport Bermuda Race. Eventually, Lowell donated his beloved racing boat Agincourt to the Coast Guard Foundation ending his long racing career. Lowell found ways to give back. In 2005 he volunteered for the American Red Cross in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and became a member of the Disaster Human Resources Group. In 2009, Lowell used his background in high-tech venture capital to help Hofstra’s Computer Science Department secure a $290,000 National Science Foundation CPATH grant that was used to create a minor in entrepreneurial computer science and developed other leadership components for the department’s curriculum. He also served as a frequent adviser and guest speaker for the department. A former Dean of Hofstra University Bernard Firestone said, “Paul has been an integral member of the committee advising the University on the establishment of a School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Paul has offered generously of his time and advice. We’re delighted at his involvement with Hofstra.” Soon after, in 2012, the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science was created. In 2010, Lowell survived a stroke and was diagnosed with Aphasia, a language processing disorder that impairs a person’s ability to speak or understand speech. With his strong work ethic, he then dedicated himself to a humbling daily practice of re-learning how to communicate. The last 13 years of his life, Lowell learned to slow down. He was a voracious reader, and he loved going to the beach and walking along the sand with his daughter Lexie and their dog Greta. He was always excited to share new music he found. Lowell and his daughter exchanged playlists and he readily ventured into the city anytime her band played. Lowell is survived by his wife Barbara and daughter Lexie. Fair Winds and Following Seas Skipper. Gifts in Memory of Paul Lowell may be made to The Alek Sajewski Memorial Foundation (https://gofund.me/e7dde7bc) Barbara works with Alek’s father at St. Francis Hospital who created the foundation with his wife in memory of their son Alek’s bright, vibrant, and tragically short life. This foundation will support Alek (and Paul’s) shared passions for sailing, music, and science.