Bernard Baruch

Bernard Mannes Baruch (August 19, 1870 – June 20, 1965) was an American financier, stock market speculator, and statesman.

Born in Camden, South Carolina, to a Jewish family—his father a Confederate surgeon—Baruch moved to New York as a child and graduated from the City College of New York in 1889 before entering Wall Street. By age 30, he had amassed millions through astute investments and speculation, earning a reputation as the "Lone Wolf of Wall Street" and becoming a governor of the New York Stock Exchange at 33.

Baruch's influence extended into public service, where he advised Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt on economic policy; during World War I, he chaired the War Industries Board, coordinating industrial production and implementing price controls to curb profiteering. Post-World War II, as U.S. representative to the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, he authored the Baruch Plan, advocating for international oversight of nuclear technology with strict verification to prevent proliferation while enabling peaceful use. A philanthropist, Baruch donated his Hobcaw Barony estate in South Carolina for research and conservation, reflecting his commitment to scientific advancement and environmental stewardship. His longevity in advisory roles spanned over four decades, marked by pragmatic economic insights rather than ideological dogma.