Founder, Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Investments John W. Rogers, Jr. is the Keynote Speaker
NEW YORK – June 13, 2023 – Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP will present a special edition of its popular “Courageous Conversation” webinar series in celebration of Juneteenth. Taking place June 27 from 3 to 4 p.m., the live webinar will feature Founder, Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Investments John W. Rogers, Jr. Ariel Investments is the first minority-owned asset management firm in the United States.
Rogers is a trailblazer in the business and finance industry and a leader in academia and entrepreneurship. His great-grandfather was J.B. Stradford, who was owner of the Stradford Hotel, the largest Black-owned hotel in the United States at the time of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. In a full-circle moment, Rogers helped finance the powerful documentary Before They Die! which tells the story of the Tulsa Massacre through the survivors’ accounts. Rogers will speak about his dynamic familial legacy of excellence in education, business, and finance, and how that legacy has shaped his journey.
Greenberg Traurig Chicago Shareholder Arthur Don and firm Shareholder and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Nikki Lewis Simon will join Rogers for the session. The firm’s Courageous Conversations webinar series tackles sensitive topics of race and social justice head-on to drive forward meaningful change. The “Courageous Conversations” webinar is presented by the firm’s Social Justice Action Academy as part of its GTDRIVES Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative. To register to take part in this important discussion, click here. Registrants will receive webinar participation details upon registration.
About the Keynote Speaker: John W. Rogers has a passion for investing that began at age 12 when his father started buying him stocks as Christmas and birthday gifts. His interest in equities grew while in college and over the two-and-a-half years after graduation he worked as a stockbroker at William Blair & Company. In 1983, Rogers founded Ariel to invest in undervalued small- and medium-sized companies. He received an AB in economics from Princeton University, where he was also captain of the varsity basketball team. Rogers is active civically and professionally based on his belief that these engagements make him a better leader and a better investor. Beyond Ariel, he is a member of the board of directors of NIKE, The New York Times Company, Ryan Specialty Group Holdings, and the Obama Foundation. Rogers also serves as Vice Chair of the board of trustees of The University of Chicago.