Stephen Auth EVP & CIO of Equities at Federated Hermes Episode 293
Stephen Auth is the Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Equities at Federated Hermes in New York City, overseeing more than $85 billion in assets. A Princeton graduate with a lifelong interest in both finance and art, Stephen is known for his strategic leadership on Wall Street and his bold work as an author, missionary, and Catholic lay leader. Alongside his wife, Evelyn, he has written books including The Missionary of Wall Street and Pilgrimage to the Museum, blending faith, story, and culture to point people toward Christ.
In this episode, Brad sits down with Stephen to talk about his journey from a working-class upbringing in Newark to Princeton, Wall Street, and ultimately to street-corner missionary work in New York City. Stephen shares how a near-death heart condition in 2002 became a turning point for his faith, leading him to deeper service and evangelization. He recounts dramatic stories from the streets of New York, the founding of the Lumen Institute, and how his eye for art became a tool for evangelization at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the way, Stephen offers insights on integrating faith and work, the importance of generosity, and the timeless values that anchor both investing and discipleship.
“Humility at the highs, confidence at the lows, integrity always.” – Stephen Auth
“If you got run over by a truck tonight, do you really think you’d be ready to meet the Lord? Whatever you’re doing, you don’t think you can go into the church with it—how can you go into heaven with it?” – Stephen Auth
“My problem was simple: God had given me many talents, but I had been using them for my own purposes, not His.” – Stephen Auth
This Week on The Wow Factor:
Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, and earning a scholarship to Princeton University
Balancing economics and art history, and how art became a lifelong passion
Rising to Chief Investment Officer of Equities at Federated Hermes and navigating financial crises
The heart condition in 2002 that became a spiritual wake-up call
Confession after 20 years away and the moment of clarity: talents used for God, not self
Founding the Lumen Institute to form Catholic business leaders
Launching the Mission in New York City and encountering resistance, hostility, and surprising conversions
Stories from The Missionary of Wall Street — including “Sox,” an ex-con on a drug run who stopped to pray the rosary
Lessons from objections on the street: loneliness, unforgiveness, and the lie that “I’m not welcome back”
Turning art tours into pilgrimages and discovering the search for God in the history of Western art
Why faith integration makes him both a better investor and a more joyful leader
Stephen Auth’s Word of Wisdom:
Humility at the highs. Confidence at the lows. Integrity always. Those principles work on Wall Street and they work in faith and life, too.
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