Founder Chris Gardner | Founded 1987 | |
Gardner Rich & Co LLC is an FINRA-registered, private stock brokerage firm founded by Chris Gardner in 1987. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in New York City, and San Francisco. It is an institutional brokerage firm that specializes in the execution of derivative product transactions, as well as debt and equity for public pension plans, institutions, and large unions.
The name "Gardner Rich" was chosen for the company by Gardner because he considers Marc Rich, the commodities trader pardoned by President Bill Clinton in 2001, "one of the most successful futures traders in the world".
Gardner had originally attended an unpaid internship program at Dean Witter Reynolds in 1981 (during which test he was homeless). He won a position as a stockbroker at Dean Witter and two years later, he left for Bear Stearns, where he became a top earner. In 1987, he founded Gardner Rich, with only $10,000 and one piece of furniture. The 2006 movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, is based upon Chris Gardner's life story, struggles, and successes.