Winthrop H. Smith

Winthrop H. Smith
Born	1893 South Hadley, Massachusetts
Died	January 10, 1961 Litchfield, Connecticut
Residence	East 72nd Street Litchfield, Connecticut
Other names	Win
Education	Amherst College (1916) Phillips Academy (1912)
Occupation	Brokerage
Employer	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Winthrop H. Smith (1893–1961), also known as Win Smith, was an American businessman and investment banker. He was notable as a name partner of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith.

Smith grew up in South Hadley, Massachusetts He was educated at Phillips Academy and graduated from Amherst College in 1916.^[1]

Upon graduation from Amherst, Smith joined Merrill Lynch & Co. in 1916, just two years after the firm's predecessor Charles E. Merrill & Co. was founded.^[2] Smith, who began as a junior runner and clerk at Merrill, was groomed by founder Charles E. Merrill, who also was an Amherst alumnus.^[1]

Smith's career would span more than four decades as he would ultimately serve as directing partner of the firm. In 1940 and 1941, Smith was an architect of Merill's transformative mergers including E.A. Pierce & Co. and Cassatt & Co. in 1940 followed by the acquisition of Fenner & Beane in 1941.^[1] Smith is often credited with having implemented Charles E. Merrill's strategy of bringing Wall Street to Main Street and received both respect and affection from his colleagues in the industry and at his firm.^[3]

In 1958, Smith handed over day-to-day control of the firm, at the time known as Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Beane. In recognition of his role in building Merrill into a leading national brokerage, Smith's name was added to that of the firm becoming Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith.^[1] Smith's name replaced that of Alpheus Beane's who firm Fenner & Beane had merged with Merrill in 1941.

Smith is the father of Winthrop H. Smith Jr. a former Merrill Lynch executive.

References

Sources

• WINTHROP SMITH, BROKER, 67, DEAD. New York Times, January 11, 1961