Thom Weisel
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Thom" Weisel is an American banker and businessman, one of the pioneers in the development of the high tech industry in Silicon Valley
. Weisel is the founder of Montgomery Securities
and later Thomas Weisel Partners
.
Weisel was a major sponsor of competitive cycling including Lance Armstrong
's racing team in the Tour de France
. Weisel has a wing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
for his modern art collection.
, son of Wilson Weisel a prominent surgeon and Betty Amos Weisel. Weisel was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, and graduated from Stanford University
with a degree in economics in 1963. In 1966, Weisel received an MBA from Harvard Business School
. He began his career as a research analyst working for William Hutchinson on the West Coast.
In 1971, Weisel co-founded Robertson, Coleman, Siebel & Weisel (the firm had begun with three partners in 1969). In 1978, Weisel, who was the junior partner, pulled off what was described later as a "mutiny" of the firm. Weisel became chief executive of the firm and prompted the departure of his co-founders Sandy Robertson, Robert Colman. Weisel changed the name of the original firm to Montgomery Securities
. Robertson left the firm in October 1978 and founded Robertson, Colman, Stephens & Woodman, the predecessor of the investment banking firm Robertson Stephens
.
In 1997, Weisel helped to orchestrate a $1.3 billion acquisition of Montgomery Securities by NationsBank
. The following year, however, NationsBank acquired BankAmerica Corp, which itself had acquired Technology-based rival Robertson. A culture clash and fight for control ensued at the newly combined investment banking units of what was later known as Banc of America Securities
.
Weisel launched his eponymous firm, Thomas Weisel Partners
in January 1999, together with other personnel from the former Montgomery Securities
. Weisel and his partners secured backing from the venture capital
community in Silicon Valley
and left to form their own venture: Thomas Weisel Partners.
In 2010, Weisel joined Stifel Financial.
Weisel married his current wife, Janet Barnes in 2010 and they had a son in June 2011.
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
. Weisel is the founder of Montgomery Securities
Montgomery Securities
Montgomery Securities was a west-coast investment bank based in San Francisco, California, that specialized in high technology and health care sectors. The firm was founded in 1978 by Thom Weisel....
and later Thomas Weisel Partners
Thomas Weisel Partners
Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. , also known as TWP or Weisel, is a U.S. growth focused investment banking firm based in San Francisco, California....
.
Weisel was a major sponsor of competitive cycling including Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
's racing team in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. Weisel has a wing at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art...
for his modern art collection.
Biography
Weisel was born in February 1941 at the Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
, son of Wilson Weisel a prominent surgeon and Betty Amos Weisel. Weisel was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, and graduated from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
with a degree in economics in 1963. In 1966, Weisel received an MBA from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. He began his career as a research analyst working for William Hutchinson on the West Coast.
In 1971, Weisel co-founded Robertson, Coleman, Siebel & Weisel (the firm had begun with three partners in 1969). In 1978, Weisel, who was the junior partner, pulled off what was described later as a "mutiny" of the firm. Weisel became chief executive of the firm and prompted the departure of his co-founders Sandy Robertson, Robert Colman. Weisel changed the name of the original firm to Montgomery Securities
Montgomery Securities
Montgomery Securities was a west-coast investment bank based in San Francisco, California, that specialized in high technology and health care sectors. The firm was founded in 1978 by Thom Weisel....
. Robertson left the firm in October 1978 and founded Robertson, Colman, Stephens & Woodman, the predecessor of the investment banking firm Robertson Stephens
Robertson Stephens
Robertson Stephens was a San Francisco-based boutique investment bank that focused on primarily on technology companies...
.
In 1997, Weisel helped to orchestrate a $1.3 billion acquisition of Montgomery Securities by NationsBank
NationsBank
NationsBank was one of the largest banking corporations in the United States, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1998, it acquired BankAmerica to become Bank of America.-Corporate history:...
. The following year, however, NationsBank acquired BankAmerica Corp, which itself had acquired Technology-based rival Robertson. A culture clash and fight for control ensued at the newly combined investment banking units of what was later known as Banc of America Securities
Banc of America Securities
Banc of America Securities LLC , based in New York City, was an investment banking subsidiary of Bank of America. The firm competed in both the domestic and international equity and investment banking markets, and pursued a strategy pioneered by Citigroup that combines corporate lending with...
.
Weisel launched his eponymous firm, Thomas Weisel Partners
Thomas Weisel Partners
Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. , also known as TWP or Weisel, is a U.S. growth focused investment banking firm based in San Francisco, California....
in January 1999, together with other personnel from the former Montgomery Securities
Montgomery Securities
Montgomery Securities was a west-coast investment bank based in San Francisco, California, that specialized in high technology and health care sectors. The firm was founded in 1978 by Thom Weisel....
. Weisel and his partners secured backing from the venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
community in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
and left to form their own venture: Thomas Weisel Partners.
In 2010, Weisel joined Stifel Financial.
Personal
Weisel has been married four times. He married his first wife shortly after graduating from college and they divorced after seven years. Weisel had three children with his first wife. Weisel has two children with Emily Carroll.Weisel married his current wife, Janet Barnes in 2010 and they had a son in June 2011.