Carol Riggins James
May 5, 1947 - September 16, 2020.
Carol Riggins James, 73, beloved wife of the late William Benjamin James II, and devoted mother of William Benjamin James III and Elizabeth James Burton, passed away Wednesday, September 16, 2020. In addition to her children, she is survived by her brother, Dr. Edward Patrick Riggins Jr., DMD (Janet); her daughter-in-law, Shari E. Aser; son-in-law, Charles T. Burton IV; and grandchildren, William B. James IV and Madeline B. James. Carol will also be forever remembered by her nieces, nephews, extended family, and dear friends.
Carol was the loving daughter of the late Edward Patrick Riggins Sr. and Gertude Rose Riggins. A 1969 graduate of Ladycliff College, she earned a BA in mathematics. Carol then worked in software development at IBM from 1969 to 1972. Following this, she earned her MBA in finance from The Wharton School while simultaneously earning an MS degree in computer science and engineering from the Moore School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1975.
After earning an MBA from Wharton and an MS from the Moore School, she joined the Exxon Corporation, where she was a senior petroleum analyst for nine years. Carol left Exxon in 1986 to become Vice President at S.N. Phelps & Co. of Greenwich, Connecticut, where she was an investment banker for mergers and acquisitions and recapitalizations. In 1993, she joined Artemis Capital Group in New York, an investment bank and financial services firm founded by six women, and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
In 1998, Carol decided to challenge herself even more and became Vice President and Senior Private Banker at PNC Advisors in Greenwich, Connecticut for five years. In 2003, Carol became a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch where she spent the remainder of her career. Carol was most recently a Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor. Carol was a founding partner and a Senior
Advisor of the Giuffre James Fischer Group at Merrill’s office in Westport, Connecticut. Carol, who always considered herself a lifelong learner, earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation during her time at Merrill Lynch.
Carol gave back to the community that she loved by participating in a number of organizations such as being a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee of the Diocese of Bridgeport Finance Council. Carol was intimately involved with her parish, St. Michael the Archangel Church in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she served on the Finance Committee, the Parish Council, was a Parish Trustee, and a member of the St. Michael’s Women’s Association. Carol was Treasurer of the Round Hill Association and on the Board of Directors for Greenwich Green & Clean. Carol served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Greenwich’s YWCA from 2002 to 2004 and was a member of the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan. In addition, Carol was a sustaining member of the Junior League of Greenwich for many years. Further, Carol was a Dame of the Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Dame of the American Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and co-founded, with her husband, the Fairfield County chapter of Legatus.
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, a private funeral service will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to either Girls Inc. of Western Connecticut or the Greenwich Tree Conservancy.