Robert J. O'Brien, Sr.
From MarketsWiki
| Robert J. O'Brien, Sr. | |
| Occupation | Chairman emeritus |
|---|---|
| Employer | R. J. O’Brien |
Robert J. O'Brien, Sr., is chairman emeritus of R. J. O’Brien and a former chairman of Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Biography
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Robert J. O’Brien, Sr., has been an active participant in the futures industry for more than five decades. Among many other achievements, he built a very successful futures brokerage firm, served as chairman of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, took delivery of the first live cattle contract traded on the CME, broadcast the first live commodity report from the trading floor, and sponsored the first woman to work on the trading floor.
A native of Chicago, O'Brien joined John V. McCarthy & Co., the predecessor of R. J. O’Brien in 1952. Active in the leadership of the CME during a pivotal time in the history of the exchange, he was a member of the CME board from 1964 through 1977 and served as chairman in 1967 and 1968. During his tenure on the board, contracts on live animals were successfully introduced, the first in a wave of innovations in contract design.
O’Brien also was instrumental in changing the governance structure at the CME to make it more democratic and revitalizing the audits and investigations department, which helped attract a higher caliber of membership.
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley proclaimed October 17, 1989, as "R.J. O'Brien Day" in Chicago.[1]
In 2007, O'Brien was inducted into the Futures Industry Association Futures Hall of Fame.[2]
Education
O’Brien graduated from DePaul University.
References
- ↑ "Chicago Mayoral Honorarium”. www.pearcefinancial.com. Retrieved on Nov. 25, 2007.
- ↑ "Robert J. O'Brien, Sr.”. Futures Industry Association. Retrieved on Nov. 25, 2007.
