A "Hyperactive" Christos Cotsakos

The former E*Trade CEO talks about his passion, honoring Vietnam vets, and his latest brainstorm, making financial info easy, simple

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

April 12, 2005 at 4:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Christos Cotsakos stepped down as CEO of E*Trade (ET ) more than two years ago. Now he has reemerged as the chairman of a $40 million fund-raising campaign to build an educational facility near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. The new Vietnam Veterans Memorial Center will provide a history lesson on the war for the wall's visitors. On Apr. 22, Cotsakos will travel to Vietnam as part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's project to remove land mines from the area.

BusinessWeek Staff Editor Jessi Hempel recently talked to Cotsakos about his charitable work, new business ventures, and his thoughts on the company he steered through the dot-com years. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: