Paying It Forward

As president of the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association, Reid Ellison BS’08 is creating opportunities for students and alumni to flourish.

By Kate Cammell


The COVID-19 pandemic marked a major turning point for Reid Ellison. After serving as a vice president at Goldman Sachs and then a portfolio manager at SG Capital Partners, Ellison embraced the uncertain moment in financial markets and founded Long Run Partners, a mortgage investment firm backed by major capital investors.

Ellison, who serves as president of the growing firm, credits part of his success to his training as an engineer.

“Whether in the machine shop or the investment world, it’s a great framework for thinking,” he says. “In fixed income, there’s not a right or wrong answer — it’s probability. It’s making the best determination that you can with uncertainty.”

Framework for finance

Ellison arrived at Columbia from a small town in California. Being on a global campus in the heart of New York was eye-opening. A lifelong car fanatic, he was drawn to mechanical engineering.

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Reid Ellison
Credit: Timothy Lee

As a first-year student, Ellison joined the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) where students built Formula One race cars for international competitions. The club offered a holistic look at the engineering process and a chance to work across disciplines from vehicle design to business.

The experience cemented his love of building machines and systems. Ellison treasures the days and nights he spent with classmates in the machine shop, which introduced him to the practical side of engineering, applying classroom concepts to create real products. During his senior design class, he worked with a team to build an automatic drum tuner. With the help of advisors, Ellison and his team patented their design.

As an alumnus, Ellison has remained engaged with the Columbia Engineering alumni community. When he decided to establish his financial firm, Ellison “looked to my friends from Columbia who had started their own business and got great advice. It’s invaluable to have that support network that can point you in the right direction.” He adds, “I really believe Columbia changed my life.” Now, he wants others to have the opportunities he has seized.

Investing in the future of engineering

As a young alumnus, Ellison asked himself, “How do I pay forward the support I got from my mentors and the skills I learned?” While working for Goldman Sachs, he recruited interns from Columbia and supported their experience.

In 2012, Ellison joined the Columbia Engineering Young Alumni (CEYA) board. Two years later, he rose to the executive committee as career chair, where he organized career-related events for Engineering students.

In 2013, Ellison joined the Engineering Development Council and has since partnered with the Alumni Office on securing many gifts for the School.

After serving four years on CEYA, Ellison joined the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association (CEAA) Board of Managers in 2016. Ellison served as vice president of student relations, and in 2024, was elected President. Having served on both CEYA and CEAA, Ellison has been a champion for growing connections among the two boards. He has also served on the five-, 10-, and 15-year reunion committees, which he savors for the chance to connect beyond his core friend group.

Over his years of service, Ellison has worked tirelessly to build community among CEAA’s 50,000 members across the world. After years of giving back to the community, in 2023 Ellison received the Le Marteleur Award for Service to Columbia Engineering Young Alumni.

“There’s a huge benefit of the advice that students get from young alumni,” Ellison says. “The alumni know how companies hire and what day-to-day is like the first few years you’re out of school. I think it’s incredibly valuable to be involved early on."