Gerald Corcoran (Gerry) has been the chief executive officer of R.J. O’Brien & Associates since 2000 and chairman of its board since 2007. The independent futures brokerage firm is the nation’s oldest and largest, beginning in Chicago under Irish egg-merchant John McCarthy as John V. McCarthy & Co. in 1914.

Like his firm, Gerry is in touch with his Irish roots, which trace back to counties Dublin and Limerick as well as Northern Ireland. Both sides of his family emigrated to Canada in the late 1800s, before settling in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Gerry was born in Chicago and is a graduate of Loyola University, holding a B.A. in business administration. Prior to joining R.J. O’Brien in 1987, he served as the controller of the Chicago Sun-Times. He served as Chairman of the FIA from 2014 until taking on the role of global treasurer this year when the organization merged with its European and Asian counterparts. Gerry currently sits on the board of directors and executive committee of the National Futures Association, and in 2013 he and his wife Maureen received the Heart of Mercy award from Misericordia Home.