John Geldermann was ahead of his time. He pioneered the automation of order processing, founding Computer Information Service in 1967 as a back-office service bureau for the FCM community. He was also an early proponent of electronic trading; as a member of the CME’s strategic planning committee in the mid-1980’s, he worked with Leo Melamed and others to develop Globex. He was also the founder of Geldermann & Co., a prominent Chicago futures firm. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945, he joined the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 1961 and played an important role in that exchange’s leadership for many years, serving as chairman of CME in 1974 and 1975, and again in 1989. Geldermann clearly saw the need for a unified voice to speak for the industry in Washington. He joined the FIA board of directors, served as its chairman in 1977 and 1978, and deserves a great deal of credit for making the FIA a truly national organization.
