John W. Rogers, Jr. is founder, chairman and chief investment officer of Ariel Investments, a Chicago-based money management firm that serves individual investors and 401(k) plans through its no-load mutual funds and institutional clients through its separate accounts.
In 1983, at the age of 24, John founded Ariel Investments with a strategy grounded in patience and a belief that undervalued small and medium-sized companies possess strong growth potential. This disciplined approach still drives the firm today.
John's passion for investing started at the young age of 12 when his father bought him stocks instead of toys every birthday and Christmas. At first the toys were missed, but as the years progressed, his love for the stock market became an obsession. His modest portfolio was handed off to him at 18 as he headed off to college at Princeton University. There, while majoring in Economics, he established a relationship with a stock broker across the street from campus and read every business journal he could find. In his senior year, he was tapped by Hall of Fame coach Pete Carril to become captain of the Varsity Basketball Team where he learned the true meaning of teamwork, discipline and hardwork.
After graduating from Princeton in 1980, John began his career as a stock broker at William Blair & Company, LLC, a global investment firm based in Chicago.
Beyond Ariel, John currently serves as a board member of Aon Corporation, Exelon Corporation and McDonald's Corporation. He is also a director of the Chicago Urban League, a trustee of the University of Chicago as well as a member of the board of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where he chairs the investment committee. He is Chairman of the Economic Club of Chicago and a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute. He is also a past president of the Board of the Chicago Park District.
In 2008, John was awarded Princeton University's highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented each year to the alumni whose career embodies a commitment to national service. Following the election of President Barack Obama, John served as Co-Chair for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009.
John's investment expertise has brought him to the forefront of media attention. He has been profiled and quoted in a wide variety of broadcast and print publications and is also a featured columnist in Forbes.
