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He co-founded D.L.J., the first securities firm to offer shares to the public. As S.E.C. chairman, he pressed for a stronger watchdog role after a series of accounting scandals. William [...]

Byline: James R. Hagerty Harvey L. Pitt, who was appointed chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2001 and pressured into resigning 15 months later after political missteps and [...]

The article discusses the life and career of Paul Oreffice, the former CEO of Dow Chemical, who passed away at the age of 97. Oreffice was known for his outspoken nature and controversial statements, such as calling environmentalists "professional merchants of doom." He faced criticism for his handling of issues like the Agent Orange lawsuit and his resistance to the Environmental Protection Agency. Despite his contentious reputation, Oreffice was praised for promoting diversity in senior positions at Dow and for his competitive spirit in business. [Extracted from the article]

Peggy Caserta, a key figure in 1960s hippie fashion, passed away at 84 after a tumultuous life marked by success, drug addiction, and redemption. She established herself as a fashion arbiter in San Francisco, catering to the flower children with her shop Mnasidika. Despite her struggles with heroin and other drugs, Caserta eventually found stability, becoming a chronicler of the hippie era before passing away in Tillamook, Oregon. [Extracted from the article]

Clifton Wharton Jr., the first Black person to lead TIAA-CREF, Michigan State University, the State University of New York, and the Rockefeller Foundation, passed away at the age of 98. Born into a family that valued education, Wharton faced racism but remained resilient, attributing his success to hard work and perseverance. Throughout his career, he broke barriers and held various leadership positions, leaving a lasting impact on the organizations he led. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses how college students can prepare for a future job market impacted by artificial intelligence (AI). Experts suggest that students should focus on developing skills that are not easily replicated by machines, such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. Additionally, students are advised to avoid hyper-specialization, work on big projects, be open to new experiences, and embrace being a "moderate misfit" to stand out in a changing job landscape. The article emphasizes the importance of adapting to technological changes and developing unique skills to thrive in a future AI-driven workplace. [Extracted from the article]

Joanne Chory, a renowned plant biologist, passed away at the age of 69 due to complications from Parkinson's disease. Chory dedicated her life to developing plants that could store more carbon underground to combat climate change. Her project, the Harnessing Plants Initiative, continues at the Salk Institute in San Diego, aiming to create crop plants with larger and deeper roots to sequester carbon. Chory's work was recognized with prestigious awards, and she leaves behind a legacy of groundbreaking research in plant genetics. [Extracted from the article]

Bernard Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot, passed away at the age of 95. Alongside Arthur Blank, Marcus built Home Depot from a few stores in Atlanta into a national retail powerhouse. Marcus, the son of Russian immigrants, had a diverse career before launching Home Depot, which became a dominant U.S. home-improvement chain. His philanthropic efforts included donations to the Georgia Aquarium and healthcare facilities, as well as co-founding the Job Creators Network. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the challenges faced by sellers of real Christmas trees in competing with artificial trees, emphasizing the importance of creating a unique buying experience. It highlights the strategies employed by Quarter Pine Tree Farm in Pennsylvania, such as offering choose-and-cut operations and additional attractions like wreaths and ornaments. The article also delves into the business aspects of selling Christmas trees, including the cultivation of desirable tree traits, the sale of seeds to other farmers, and the impact of climate change on tree production. [Extracted from the article]

Lily Ebert, a Hungarian-born Jewish Holocaust survivor, initially hesitated to share her story but later found fame on TikTok, where she recounted her experiences and advocated for kindness and tolerance. After enduring the horrors of Nazi death camps, she resettled in London and began speaking about the Holocaust in schools, survivor gatherings, and even the British Parliament. Lily Ebert passed away at the age of 100, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and a commitment to ensuring that the world remembers the atrocities of the Holocaust. [Extracted from the article]

John McQuown, a pioneer in index funds and transformative investing, passed away at the age of 90. He led a team at Wells Fargo Bank that created one of the first index funds, challenging traditional fund managers' strategies. McQuown's work with academics and finance experts proved the effectiveness of index funds, leading to their widespread acceptance among investors. His legacy includes co-founding Dimensional Fund Advisors and KMV, showcasing his ongoing contributions to financial technology. [Extracted from the article]

Mel Goodes, the former head of Warner-Lambert, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2009 and decided to fight the disease. He and his wife established the Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development, which provides funding for scientists making advances in Alzheimer's drug development research. Goodes remained upbeat for over a decade, even performing a duet with Glen Campbell, another Alzheimer's patient. He passed away at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy of philanthropy and contributions to the field of Alzheimer's research. [Extracted from the article]

Ethel Skakel Kennedy, wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy, has passed away at the age of 96. She was known for her resilience in the face of numerous family tragedies, including her husband's assassination in 1968. Ethel Kennedy played a vital role in supporting her husband's political career and embraced the Democratic agenda, despite her Republican upbringing. She was described as a lively and mischievous individual, and her marriage to Robert Kennedy was seen as a positive influence on him. Ethel Kennedy was actively involved in campaigning for her husband and continued to be engaged in social causes throughout her life. She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights and was an advocate for farmworkers' rights. Ethel Kennedy is survived by her nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on Mike Ullman's approach to problem-solving and leadership, highlighting his practice of engaging directly with employees to understand their perspectives. Topics include his innovative strategy of soliciting feedback from rank-and-file employees, his career achievements across various companies, and his personal challenges towards the end of his life.

Pat Williams, a former NBA executive and prolific author, has passed away at the age of 84. Williams began his career as a minor-league baseball player before transitioning to executive roles in basketball. He co-founded the Orlando Magic and was known for his innovative stunts to attract fans to games. In addition to his sports career, Williams completed 58 marathons, wrote or co-wrote 104 books, and had 19 children. He was a devout Christian and credited his success to his faith. [Extracted from the article]

Penny Simkin, a pioneering birth doula, passed away at the age of 85. She played a significant role in popularizing doula services for women giving birth. Simkin recognized that doctors and nurses often didn't have the time or inclination to explain options and help mothers cope with pain, so she provided coaching and support during childbirth. She also wrote books, trained doulas, and founded Doulas of North America (now known as DONA International). Simkin believed in the importance of continuous emotional and physical support for women in labor and saw a connection between childbirth experiences and subsequent mental health. She faced criticism from some medical professionals but also found allies among doctors who supported her research. Simkin's career as a birth doula began in the 1960s when she responded to a help-wanted ad for childbirth educators. She developed various methods to help women endure pain and make informed decisions during labor. Simkin's work contributed to the rise of natural childbirth methods and the recognition of the doula profession. She passed away in April 2024 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the resurgence of independent record stores in the face of declining demand for physical music formats. It highlights the experiences of record store owners, such as Fred Bohn Jr. of The Attic near Pittsburgh, who faced challenges in the early 2000s due to the rise of digital music and online sellers. However, Bohn's faith in the long-term value of vinyl records paid off as demand for vinyl revived, attracting both young and old customers. The article emphasizes the importance of independent record stores in the retailing of recorded music, as chains have largely disappeared. It also mentions other notable independent record stores across the United States. The article concludes by highlighting the unique appeal of vinyl records and the enduring interest in them. [Extracted from the article]

Roberta Karmel, the first female SEC Commissioner, passed away at the age of 86. Karmel faced challenges as a woman in the legal profession but persisted and eventually worked at the SEC investigating corporate misdeeds. She was appointed by President Jimmy Carter and became known for her independent voice and dissenting opinions on SEC decisions. Karmel believed that the SEC was overstepping its powers and bullying companies, and she argued for a more limited approach to enforcement. She had a successful career as a securities lawyer and later became a professor at Brooklyn Law School. Karmel is survived by her four children and her younger sister. [Extracted from the article]

Arthur D'Angelo, known as the 'Mayor of Fenway Park,' passed away at the age of 97. He and his twin brother started selling newspapers on street corners in Boston as young Italian immigrants. They eventually founded Twins Enterprise, which owns the '47 brand, an international supplier of baseball caps and apparel featuring team logos. D'Angelo was a fixture at Red Sox home games and had a close relationship with Red Sox players. The family business, now led by his four sons, has over 250 employees and annual revenue of more than $400 million. [Extracted from the article]

James D. Robinson III, the former CEO of American Express, has passed away at the age of 88. Robinson was known for his efforts to diversify American Express into a financial-services supermarket in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, his attempts at diversification were met with challenges and the company ultimately refocused on its core business of plastic payment cards. Robinson's legacy includes his role in the takeover battle for RJR Nabisco and his leadership of American Express for 16 years. He later co-founded a venture-capital firm called RRE Ventures. Robinson is survived by his wife, Linda Gosden Robinson, and four children. [Extracted from the article]

Caterpillar Inc. will buy mining equipment manufacturer Bucyrus International Inc. for $7.6 billion - $92 a share - and the assumption of $1 billion of debt. Bucyrus reported profit of $312 million and sales of $2.65 billion in 2009.

Boosted by rising sales in Latin America, Caterpillar Inc.'s third-quarter profit jumped 96% to $792 million on a sales increase of 53% to $11.13 billion. Article discusses Caterpillar's sales by region, share value, and expected earnings through 2012.

3M Co. plans to bid $943 million - $10.50 a share - for Cogent Inc., a maker of fingerprint-recognition technology. Net value of the acquisition would be around $430 million because of Cogent's cash reserves and marketable securities.

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY AND JOANN S. LUBLIN Freddie Mac's chief executive, David Moffett, announced his resignation from the U.S. government-backed mortgage company just six months after being installed in [...]

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY AND DAMIAN PALETTA WASHINGTON -- Red ink is starting to gush in even larger quantities at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as the government wrestles with [...]

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY AND DAN FITZPATRICK As a home-mortgage lender, Bank of America Corp. avoided the excesses of many rivals during the housing boom. But an analysis of mortgage-backed [...]

Bogged down by mortgage defaults and credit-related expenses, Fannie Mae reports a third-quarter net loss of $29 billion. It is expected the mortgage lender will need a U.S. government cash injection by the end of the year. On Monday, Fannie Mae's stocks sank to a midday low of 75 cents down from a 52-week midday high of $50.44 reached on November 14, 2007.

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY AND APARAJITA SAHA-BUBNA; WALL STREET JOURNAL STAFF Fannie Mae posted a record $29-billion (U.S.) loss for the third quarter and said it is losing money so [...]

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY The U.S. takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac so far has failed to achieve one objective that government officials had envisioned: Borrowing costs for the [...]

The government of the United States announced it will take control of financially-troubled mortgage banks Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The U.S. Treasury Department will replace the companies' chief executives, acquire $1 billion of preferred stocks in each company, provide $200 billion in additional funding to cover the banks' losses, and place them under the directorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The Treasury also plans to buy at least $5 billion of Fannie and Freddie's new mortgage-backed securities. Article discusses present conditions within the mortgage-lending sector, and the effects of the intervention on mortgage banks and mortgage holders.

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY AND GLENN R. SIMPSON; WALL STREET JOURNAL STAFF Ed McMahon, the long time sidekick to television star Johnny Carson, faces the possible loss of his Beverly [...]

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY The number of foreclosed homes owned by lenders continues to rise despite signs that they are increasingly willing to slash prices to sell those properties. Lenders [...]

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY; WALL STREET JOURNAL STAFF And now for the heartwarming side of the U.S. housing bust: it's helping some people buy homes that they couldn't afford a [...]

Mortgage bank Fannie Mae announces it will raise $6 billion in capital through the sale of common and preferred stocks after posting a first-quarter loss of $2.19 billion from mortgage defaults. Article discusses Fannie Mae's financial standing, stock value, and expected losses through 2009.

The London interbank offered rate rose for the second time in as many days, and just two days after an announcement by the British Bankers' Association that it launched an investigation into the borrowing rates banks have reported to it. The BBA oversees interest rate calculation. Six-month Libor is currently at 2.7%; interest bills for commercial and residential borrowers are expected to increase.

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY U.S. federal regulators are expected to announce today a legal settlement with three former senior executives of Fannie Mae over their alleged roles in an accounting [...]

In an effort to reactivate the mortgage sector, government-sponsored companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be allowed to acquire an additional $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities, an approximate 10% of all new U.S. home mortgages in 2008. Article discusses the mortgage market, interest rates, and the companies' capital raising, and stock value.

Byline: JAMES R. HAGERTY Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac plunged as fears grew that home-mortgage defaults eventually will force the two U.S. government-sponsored companies to raise more capital. [...]