WHY
WE
GIVE
D
avid Mallach knows a good investment when he sees one. As Managing
Director and Wealth Management Advisor for Merrill Lynch, David has
traveled around the world sharing his investment expertise with affluent
clients. He is a published author, with seven books under his belt, and has a
slew of accolades to his name, including Outstanding Advisor of the Year.
I always
“ believed
in
the [Mercy]
mission,” David
said. “Gwynedd
Mercy University
has great people
working for it and
the University
has a sense of
purpose to it.
You can feel that
when you walk on
campus.
”
Growing up as a self-proclaimed “military brat,” David moved 18 times in 20
years. He was introduced to the Catholic Church at a young age, visiting some of the
oldest cathedrals in the world in Europe, becoming an altar boy and participating in
numerous service trips. After meeting his wife Lisa on a scuba-diving trip in college, he
settled in the Philadelphia area, which he has called home for more than 40 years.
David and Lisa’s Mercy background runs deep. Their five children all attended
Gwynedd Mercy Elementary School and their daughter graduated from Gwynedd
Mercy Academy. So when David was asked to join Gwynedd Mercy University’s Board
of Trustees in 2012, he knew it was the right move.
“I always believed in the [Mercy] mission,” David said. “Gwynedd Mercy University
has great people working for it and the University has a sense of purpose to it. You can
feel that when you walk on campus.”
Even more, while David was conducting some historical research he discovered that the
Sisters of Mercy were some of the first nurses to help wounded Union soldiers in the
Civil War.
“Here I was at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Alabama, the cradle of
the Confederacy, and 40 years later I’m asked to sit on the Board at Gwynedd Mercy
University,” David said. “Talk about a coincidence.”
David says the trick to investing is looking ahead to the future, while also learning from
the past. This philosophy can also explain why he and his wife Lisa are such strong
supporters of education.
They established the University of Pennsylvania’s Mallach House in Botswana,
South Africa, which is used as a home for doctors conducting HIV research and
administering treatment.
David and Lisa were inducted into Gwynedd Mercy University’s Founders’ Society in
2016, which honors donors who have contributed lifetime gifts. Their contributions
have included support of the building of University Hall, GMercyU’s annual Golf
Tournament, and scholarships.
10
PRESIDENT’S REPORT