John Rogers, Jr. Biography Favorites Color Orange Food French Fries Quote “You have to have faith in people.” Time of Year Summer Vacation Spot Rancho Santa Fe, California

John Rogers Jr. was born in Chicago in 1958 to Jewel Lafontant MANkarious and Judge John Rogers, Sr. At an early age, he showed great aptitude in school as well as on the basketball court. He went on to Princeton University where he excelled in both and graduated in 1980.

In 1983, Rogers founded Ariel Capital Management Corporation, an investment management company. Today Ariel manages more than $7.5 billion in assets. For this reason, Rogers is featured regularly in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's and The New York Times. In 1994, Time voted him one of the Fifty For the Future based upon the unprecedented success of his company.

Rogers is civic minded and currently serves on the boards of Aon Corporation, Bank One Corporation, Burrell Communications Group, GATX Corporation and Exelon Corporation. He also is active within the community, serving as chairman of the Chicago Urban League and a member of the boards of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the National Association of Basketball Coaches Foundations, and the Investment Company Institute. Rogers also served a six-year term as the first African American chairman of the Chicago Park District.

Rogers was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on July 17, 2002.