Rothschild & Company was founded in 1908 by Monroe Rothschild and his brother-in-law Samuel Karger.
Based on Samuel Karger’s gritty conservatism, his aversion to risk and a commitment to personal customer service, Rothschild survived the 1929 stock market crash and ensuing depression. To this day, these trademarks are etched into Rothschild’s foundation.
In 1933, Samuel brought his son Robert into the business. From the 1940s to the 1960s, Samuel and Robert continually improved the company to create a truly client-focused investment firm. Investment products and services that represented conflicts of interest, however popular, were spun-off, disbanded or never approved. Samuel vetoed the lucrative practice of purchasing new public offerings for the firm’s own account, and the investment banking operation was terminated in the late 1960s.
Over the years, as many competing firms went out of business, the Kargers made many decisions with an eye towards improving client service and firm stability. These included utilizing specialized clearing firms for improved account service and safety, closing the futures brokerage division and spinning off the trading operation.
Today, Richard Karger, Robert’s son, is the third generation of the founding family to run the company, now known as Rothschild Investment Corporation. Joining the firm in 1975 from Brown Brothers Harriman, Dick further aligned the interests of the firm with those of its clients, introducing the fee-based Investment Management Department, which he still runs today. Under his leadership, the firm is known for its conservative, disciplined portfolio management.
311 South Wacker Drive, Suite 6500 Chicago, IL 60606-6694 Phone (312) 983-8900 Fax (312) 983-8968