Jeffrey Citron has the same goal in philanthropy as business: to achieve real and lasting impact.
Throughout his career, the visionary entrepreneur has recognized how new technologies can redefine mature industries. He knows that true innovation requires creativity, courage, determination, and often, a willingness to take a high degree of risk. Inspired by his own success, he founded CLF with his wife Suzanne in 1999. The foundation embodies entrepreneurial zeal in its mission of giving back.
Jeffrey understands firsthand the power of human potential.
His life is a testament to how passion and commitment can help people transcend circumstances. Unmotivated scholastically, he graduated from high school in 1988 and took a job as a gofer at Datek Securities on Wall Street. After just a few years he emerged as a star trader, but sensing greater opportunity, he left to start his own company, The Island ECN, which he founded with a partner in 1995. The Island ECN introduced online trading and transformed the financial services industry. A few years later, he rejoined Datek and was named Chairman and CEO of Datek Online Holdings Corp. in February 1998. Under his leadership, Datek became the fourth largest online brokerage company in the U.S. He retired from the company in October 1999 and Datek was later sold to TD Ameritrade.
In 2001, Jeffrey founded Vonage, a company that pioneered voice communication via high speed Internet and broadband devices. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey-based company. Vonage has some 2.4 million subscribers in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom. He served as CEO from 2001 to 2006, and has acted as Chief Strategist and interim CEO. In May 2006, Vonage was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Jeffrey is also an active investor, with interests spanning hospitality, transportation, financial services and various cutting-edge or disruptive technologies.
Jeffrey’s passion for business is complemented by his passion for big-game fishing. He’s loved fishing since childhood, but since moving to Florida with Suzanne in 2015, he devotes as much as 100 days of the year to the sport, often travelling to the Caribbean, Central America and along the United States’ eastern seaboard. He occasionally competes in tournaments and has won several awards. Jeffrey is also an avid runner and completed his first New York City Marathon in 2010 as part of a team benefiting the American Cancer Society.
Despite his numerous accomplishments, Jeffrey enjoys the most fulfillment from being a husband and father. Experiencing the benefits of nurturing and mentoring his young daughter and son reinforces his belief in human potential. He knows that rather than just through monetary support, sharing our knowledge empowers others to transcend boundaries.