Maria L. Chrin ’87 ’10P believes that when women come together, they lift each other to new heights. “That has been a theme throughout my life,” says Chrin. “I have experienced firsthand that when we join forces, we create powerful opportunities for each other, for our families, and for our communities.”
Strength of Family
Growing up in Honduras, Chrin was surrounded by strong women. Raised by her mother, grandmother, and aunts, she was encouraged to follow her dream of working on Wall Street, which was one of the motivations to apply to Lehigh University.
Coming to a new country as a first-generation student and being on a U.S. college campus was an adjustment. “I certainly experienced a bit of culture shock, but at Lehigh I learned how to fit in without changing who I was.” As a founding member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Chrin surrounded herself with a second family of supportive sisters. She also joined a multitude of clubs and organizations.
Set up for Success
Chrin is grateful for her Lehigh education and the mentors who prepared her for success in graduate school and beyond. She specifically credits Nicholas W. Balabkins, the late professor of economics who, she says, “selected me to be his teaching assistant, giving me confidence and experience in facilitation and presentation.” In addition, French professor Lenora D. Wolfgang, or “Madame Wolfgang” as she called her, “became a good friend and sounding board throughout my time on campus,” says Chrin.
Chrin was determined to get into Columbia University, so she worked hard and graduated from Lehigh summa cum laude with membership in the Phi Beta Kappa and Beta Gamma Sigma academic honor societies and a B.S. in business and economics. She attributes her acceptance into Columbia to her preparation at Lehigh and well-rounded application. “It was the only business school I applied to because I wanted to be in New York, and Columbia demonstrated a real path to Wall Street,” she says.
After Chrin achieved her MBA in finance and marketing, Columbia led her to a position at Goldman Sachs, where she enjoyed a 15-year career in the firm’s Private Wealth Management Division. While there, Chrin built one of the premier practices advising domestic and international families. “My dream had become a reality,” she says. “However, I took a risk and left Goldman because I knew there was even more that I needed to learn and accomplish.”
Circle of Support
Maria co-founded Circle Financial Group, a pioneering peer-to-peer wealth management organization, alongside a group of seasoned female groundbreakers. “Together we learned what mattered most to investors, namely women, and what shaped their financial decision-making. Through this process, we came to understand that the sort of firm and service model we wanted did not exist; we needed to build it ourselves,” Chrin says.
As a result, Maria founded Circle Wealth Management (Circle) in 2007, a privately owned advisory firm with the singular focus of working with select clients in a personalized way. As founder, CEO, and managing partner of Circle with offices in New York City and Summit, New Jersey, Chrin guides clients (80% of whom are women) in organizing and managing their financial lives comprehensively and with confidence. The firm manages over $12 billion in assets.
Soaring Into the Future
“I’ve been fortunate,” says Chrin. “Lehigh gave me a seat at a number of important tables.” Chrin was one of the youngest members named to the Lehigh University Board of Trustees and the first female chair of the Endowment Investment Committee. After almost 20 years of continued service on and off the board, she holds the esteemed status of trustee emerita. “It is a privilege that I do not take for granted, and I find ways to pay it forward, especially for younger women,” Chrin says.
Lehigh recognized Chrin for her tireless work at the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, presenting her with the Costel Denson ’56 Award, given annually to individuals who demonstrate leadership in increasing diversity in the American workplace and educational institutions.
Chrin is one of the original advocates of the Soaring Together Scholarship Program, which provides a full-tuition scholarship and access to experiential learning opportunities, alumni mentorships, and career and professional development. She also supports additional programs that provide transformative experiences on campus, including Lehigh University Student Scholars Institute, which cultivates a sense of community, belonging, and empowerment for first-year students who identify as first generation and/or low income and/or coming from a minority background.
Chrin’s husband is John Chrin ’85 ’86 ’10P, also a first-generation college graduate and a Bethlehem native who earned a dual BS/BA degree in industrial engineering and economics, followed by an MBA from Columbia. They not only help fund these programs, but they also serve as mentors to Soaring Together Scholars and other students and alumni. “The concept of Soaring Together resonates at such a personal level. The opportunity to mentor these students and provide them a platform for connection and alumni engagement has been incredible for the scholars as well as for us,” says Chrin.
For Soaring Together Scholar Forum Patel ’27, Chrin’s presence has been life-changing. “I first met Maria Chrin in person in April 2024, when she graciously hosted all the Soaring Together Scholars at the Cosmopolitan Club in New York City,” she says. “When I had the chance to speak with her one-on-one and shared how I wanted to leverage both my computer science and business background, she immediately connected me with her colleagues at Circle Wealth Management who focus on proprietary technology.”
“Maria is someone who is directly investing in my education, and I’m truly excited to stay close with her and celebrate all my wins with someone who genuinely believes in me,” says Patel.
