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Robert B. Stearns (1888-1954) was a prominent American financier. He co-founded investment bank Bear Stearns in 1923.

Early life

Stearns was born in a Jewish family in 1888 to Virginia (née Michaels) and Isaac, founder of Stern's Department Stores. He graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover in 1906 and Yale University in 1910. He may have changed his name when he enrolled at Andover, whose headmaster at the time was Alfred Stearns.

Wall Street career

After working some years in Europe, Stearns worked at the brokerage J.J. Danzig & Co. before founding Bear Stearns with partners Joseph Ainslie Bear and Harold C. Mayer in 1923. He became a member of the New York Curb Exchange, later the American Stock Exchange in 1929, and would eventually be its chairman.

Death

Stearns married twice. His first wife was Bernice Marks, daughter of Manhattan Borough President, Marcus M. Marks; they had three children, Veronica Stearns Lamy (married to actor Douglas N. Lamy), Pamela Stearns Baron, and Roland B. Stearns, before divorcing. His second wife was Margaret Allen. Stearns died at Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan on 14 December 1954, aged 66.

References

1. ^ "Robert B. Stearns Dies in New York" (PDF). The Hastings News. December 16, 1954.
2. "Phillips Academy - Notable Alumni: Long List". www.andover.edu. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19.
3. "Miss Stearns Is Affianced". New York Times. May 8, 1988. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019.
4. "Roland B. Stearns, 89, of North Palm Beach, FL. and Blue Mountain Lake, NY, passed away on August 10, 2016 while under treatment at Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, FL". Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019. Roland was born in New York City to the late Robert B. Stearns and Bernice Marks-Stearns. Predeceased by his sisters Veronica and Pamela, Roland is survived by his beloved wife Nina; his children Robert Stearns, Bonne Wasserman and Jane Hinckley;
5. "Wendy Virginia Baron Is Wed To William Cox Frank Jr. Here". The New York Times. June 8, 1975. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019. The chapel of St. Barthoomew's Episcopal Church was the setting yesterday afternoon for the marriage of Wendy Virginia Baron, daughter of Pamela Stearns Baron and Richard W. Baron, both of New York...
6. "Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Stearns are almost ready to give their blessing to the surprise marriage of their daughter, the former Ronnie (Veronica) Stearns, and her bridegroom, aviator Douglas N. Lamy". New York Daily News. August 9, 1939. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
7. "Actor Kills Self in Marital Split". Syracuse Post-Standard. January 20, 1951. Archived from the original on 2019-07-27.
8. "Robert B. Stearns, Stockbroker, Dead; Father Founded Stern Brothers Store". New York Times. 15 Dec 1954.

• 1888 births
• 1954 deaths
• American bankers
• American Jews
• American people of German-Jewish descent
• Phillips Academy alumni
• Bear Stearns people