Fred Uhlmann was one of the fixtures of the Chicago futures community for nearly three decades. His knowledge and influence has a lasting impact on the exchanges and the FCMs. He was elected chairman of the Chicago Board of Trade for two terms, 1973 and 1974, at a pivotal time in the industry’s history. Under his leadership, the CBOT created the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the first exchange in the world for equity options. During that time, he also was invited to join the FIA, becoming the first non-New York director of the FIA. His example inspired many other Chicago firms to join the FIA and helped transform it into a truly national organization. From 1951 to 1965 he worked at Uhlmann Grain Co., the family-rum futures brokerage house. Then from 1965 to 1973 he worked at H. Hentz & Co., and from 1973 to 1984 at Drexel Burnham Lambert. He served as FIA chairman from 1975 to 1977 and served as a trustee of the Futures Industry Institute from 1998 to 2002.
