 "cum laude" in History from Harvard University in 1974, and as a result of gaining entrepreneurial work experience with Southwestern Advantage selling books door-to-door during college, was able to attend Harvard Business School the following semester, eventually graduating in 1976 with an MBA.He was also awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1982.Fridson interviewed with Mitchell Hutchins and accepted a position as an electric utility bond trader in 1976.