John M. Schiff
Encyclopedia
John Mortimer Schiff was an American banker and national president of the Boy Scouts of America
from 1951 to 1956.
in 1925 then spent a year at Oxford University in England
. He learned the banking business as an employee with Bankers Trust
and for a time worked on the Missouri Pacific Railroad
. Following the 1931 death of his father, he became a partner in the investment banking firm Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
John Schiff married Edith Baker, granddaughter of George Fisher Baker who was called "the richest, most powerful and most taciturn commercial banker in U. S. history" in a 1934 TIME
magazine article. They had two sons, David T. and Peter G. Schiff.
From 1965 to 1976, Schiff served as a Trustee of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
then as Trustee Emeritus until his death in 1987.
leaders. John Schiff served as national president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1951 to 1956. Schiff also served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
from 1955 until 1961.
Schiff was awarded the Bronze Wolf
, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, in 1961. The John M. Schiff Scout Reservation was named in his honor.
racehorse
s. He was the breeder
of the 1970 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Hoist the Flag
and successfully raced a number of horses including Plugged Nickle
and Droll Role
.
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
from 1951 to 1956.
Biography
Born into a Jewish-German banker family in New York, as son of Mortimer Loeb Schiff and grandson of Jacob H. Schiff, Schiff graduated from Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1925 then spent a year at Oxford University in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He learned the banking business as an employee with Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
and for a time worked on the Missouri Pacific Railroad
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
. Following the 1931 death of his father, he became a partner in the investment banking firm Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
Kuhn, Loeb & Co. was a bulge bracket, investment bank founded in 1867 by Abraham Kuhn and Solomon Loeb. Under the leadership of Jacob H. Schiff, it grew to be one of the most influential investment banks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, financing America's expanding railways and growth...
John Schiff married Edith Baker, granddaughter of George Fisher Baker who was called "the richest, most powerful and most taciturn commercial banker in U. S. history" in a 1934 TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine article. They had two sons, David T. and Peter G. Schiff.
From 1965 to 1976, Schiff served as a Trustee of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died April 26, 1922...
then as Trustee Emeritus until his death in 1987.
Scouting movement
Both John Schiff and his father were notable early Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
leaders. John Schiff served as national president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1951 to 1956. Schiff also served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
from 1955 until 1961.
Schiff was awarded the Bronze Wolf
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement"...
, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, in 1961. The John M. Schiff Scout Reservation was named in his honor.
Thoroughbred horse racing
Schiff owned and bred thoroughbredThoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
s. He was the breeder
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
of the 1970 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Hoist the Flag
Hoist The Flag
Hoist The Flag was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by New York City Investment banker, John Schiff, he was out of the mare Wavy Navy, a daughter of the 1937 U.S. Triple Crown champion, War Admiral...
and successfully raced a number of horses including Plugged Nickle
Plugged Nickle
Plugged Nickle was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by John M. Schiff, he was trained by future U.S...
and Droll Role
Droll Role
Droll Role was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned and bred by John M. Schiff, his sire was the great runner and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Tom Rolfe, a son of the undefeated European superstar, Ribot...
.
See also
- Mortimer L. Schiff Scout ReservationMortimer L. Schiff Scout ReservationThe Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation, located in central New Jersey, was a major Boy Scout training facility for almost 50 years. It was named after Mortimer L. Schiff, the father of John M...