CME Group Chairman and CEO Terry Duffy issued the following statement on behalf of the company:

“The futures industry lost a great leader with the passing of John O’Brien, Sr., who was a Board member, former Chairman and former CEO, as well as a founding family member of RJO & Associates, the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the U.S.,” said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy.

Statement by CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy on John W. O'Brien, Sr. https://t.co/oDUmw7FuBU

— Mondo Visione (@ExchangeNews) July 11, 2022

“John spent his career championing the U.S. futures industry and was instrumental in expanding its reach to customers around the world. As someone who literally grew up in this business, he fostered a culture of treating all clients and employees as family – a legacy that continues within RJO today. John was a friend and mentor to many within the business and will be deeply missed. On behalf of everyone at CME Group, our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Pat, their children, the entire O’Brien family and all of his RJO colleagues.”

Source: CME

RJO mourns the loss of John O’Brien, Sr.. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire O’Brien family. https://t.co/yIFwR831SX

— R.J. O'Brien (@rjobrien) July 11, 2022

Chicago-based R.J. O’Brien & Associates (RJO) announced the passing on Saturday evening of John W. O’Brien, Sr., following a long illness.

RJO Chairman and CEO Gerry Corcoran said: “We’re deeply saddened to lose Johnny, my dear friend, our long-time Board member, former Chairman as well as CEO, and beloved member of the family that founded our firm and that remains majority owner to this day. Johnny bravely fought his battle with cancer over the last four years. He was the architect of the RJO renaissance that began when he assumed the CEO position in the 1980s and laid the foundation for the global firm we are today. He was an inspirational leader who relished his role as a director and ensured that the O’Brien family’s values of treating clients with respect, doing business the right way and embracing employees like family were instilled throughout the organization. On a personal note, I will forever be grateful for his mentorship, friendship and confidence. All of us at RJO extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Pat, their four children, his four siblings and the entire O’Brien family.”

John O’Brien was named CEO in 1986 and Chairman in 2000 of the firm his grandfather, John V. McCarthy, founded in 1914. He followed in the footsteps of his brother, Robert J. O’Brien, Jr., and his father, Robert J. O’Brien, Sr., in running the company.

Memories shared by O’Brien can be found in the RJO Centennial video at https://www.rjobrien.com/about/historical-timeline/.

Source: RJO

FIA joins the global derivatives industry in mourning former @rjobrien exec John W. O’Brien. “John was a pillar of the futures industry, leading RJO through a period of tremendous change and growth,” said FIA President and CEO @WaltFIA. Our thoughts are with the RJO family.

— FIAconnect (@FIAconnect) July 12, 2022

So sad. He was a legend of the futures industry. https://t.co/CS6N32DC9i

— Larry Tabb (@ltabb) July 11, 2022