Wednesday, April 13, 2016 | 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The 2008 financial collapse, the expansion of corporate and private wealth, the influence of money in politics—many of Wall Street's contemporary trends can be traced back to the work of 14 critical figures who wrote, and occasionally broke, the rules of American finance.
Edward Morris plots in absorbing detail Wall Street's transformation from a clubby enclave of financiers to a symbol of vast economic power. His book begins with J. Pierpont Morgan, who ruled the American banking system at the turn of the 20th century, and ends with Sandy Weill, whose collapsing Citigroup required the largest taxpayer bailout in history. In between, Wall Streeters relates the triumphs and missteps of 12 other financial visionaries. From Charles Merrill, who founded Merrill Lynch and introduced the small investor to the American stock market; to Michael Milken, the so-called junk bond king; to Jack Bogle, whose index funds redefined the mutual fund business; to Myron Scholes, who laid the groundwork for derivative securities; and to Benjamin Graham, who wrote the book on securities analysis. Anyone interested in the modern institution of American finance will devour this history of some of its most important players.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ed Morris is a professor of finance and former dean of the business school at Lindenwood University. Before beginning his teaching career, he was an investment banker and served as executive vice president of Stifel, Nicolaus, & Co. He has served on the boards of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.
Talk will be followed by Q&A and book signing. $5 tickets include Museum admission; members and students free. Feel free to bring your lunch.