Winthrop H. Smith
Winthrop Hiram Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date South Hadley, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | January 10, 1961 (aged 67) Litchfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investment banker |
| Known for | Key name partner of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith |
Winthrop Hiram "Win" Smith (June 30, 1893 – January 10, 1961) was a prominent American entrepreneur and investment banker, recognized as a key name partner of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith.
Biography
Smith was born in South Hadley, Massachusetts on June 30, 1893. He received his education at Phillips Academy before completing his degree at Amherst College in 1916.
Following his graduation from Amherst, Smith entered Merrill Lynch in 1916, just two years after the establishment of the firm's forerunner, Charles E. Merrill & Co.. Beginning his career as a junior runner and clerk, he was guided by the company's founder and fellow Amherst graduate, Charles E. Merrill.
Over a career spanning more than forty years, Smith rose to become the directing partner. He was instrumental in orchestrating Merrill’s significant mergers: the 1940 consolidation with E.A. Pierce & Co. and Cassatt & Co., followed by the 1941 acquisition of Fenner & Beane. Working closely with Louis Engel, Jr., an innovative advertising executive, Smith contributed to realizing Merrill’s ambition of making Wall Street accessible to Main Street, gaining considerable esteem within the industry.
In 1958, Smith retired from active management at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Beane. In recognition of his pivotal role in growing the firm into a leading national brokerage, his name replaced Alpheus Beane's in the company title, resulting in Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith.
Smith passed away on January 10, 1961, in Litchfield, Connecticut.
Personal life
Smith was married twice during his lifetime. His first marriage to Gertrude Ingram Behana produced one son, Bardwell L. Smith (1925–2022), who became a distinguished religion professor and Dean at Carleton College. His second wife, Vivian G. Brown—formerly a fashion model with the Powers Agency—brought one son from a previous marriage, Gordon F. Linke, who managed a Merrill Lynch branch. Together they had Winthrop H. Smith Jr., who later served as an executive at Merrill Lynch and authored Catching Lightning in a Bottle: How Merrill Lynch Revolutionized the Financial World.
In 1948, Smith and Vivian acquired a 113-acre farm in Litchfield, Connecticut, which they named Winvian, combining elements of their names. Their son Win Jr. inherited this estate and expanded it into a boutique hotel with his wife Maggie. Maggie now owns and operates the property alongside their daughter Heather S. Winkelmann, Smith’s granddaughter.