Founder

Louis Guenther (1875-1953)

Positions Held: Founder, publisher, and chairman of Financial World from 1902 to 1953.

Accomplishments: In 1902, Mr. Guenther, along with his father Otto Guenther, founded The Financial World, which first gained public attention by exposing securities fraud and later established a reputation in Europe and the U.S. for its exclusive disclosures of company financial data. Before ceasing publication in 1998, the magazine published numerous articles on producers and manufacturing companies each year, providing essential information that served as a popular reference resource for many businesses.

Notable Disciplines: Founders of prominent financial publications such as Forbes (Bertie Forbes), Barron's (Clarence W. Barron), Flaherty Financial News (Robert Flaherty), and The Motley Fool (Tom and David Gardner).

Biography: Born in 1875 in London, England; died on March 11, 1953, in New York, USA. He served as the executive director of the New York Athletic Club and was a member of the Downtown Manhattan Athletic Club, the Lawyers’ Club, the Bankers’ Club, and the Masons.

Contributions: Under Mr. Guenther's direction, The Financial World pioneered the world's first stock-rating system with the regular publication of Independent Evaluations of Stocks, beginning in 1922. In 1940, the magazine issued the world's first Award for Excellence in Annual Reporting. Former publisher Seth Hoyt stated, "Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses, The Financial World provides shareholders of companies and prospective investors with the most comprehensive information available, not only on past operating results but also on projections of future prospects." Later, Financial World established the Louis Guenther Award to recognize companies that exemplify excellence in financial reporting and writing.

Notable Event: Three years after its founding, Financial World moved its headquarters from Chicago to New York, the heart of Wall Street.