Irving Kahn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irving Kahn
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| Born | December 19, 1905 New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Died | February 24, 2015 (aged 109) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | City College of New York Columbia University |
| Occupation | Investor and philanthropist |
| Known for | Advising the Kahn Brothers Group |
Irving Kahn (born December 19, 1905 – died February 24, 2015) was an American investor and someone who supported charities. He was known as the oldest active investor in the world.
He was an early student of Benjamin Graham. Graham taught a special way of investing called value investing. This method involves finding stocks that are priced lower than their true worth.
Kahn started his career in 1928 and kept working until he passed away. He was the chairman of Kahn Brothers Group, Inc. This is a private company that helps people invest their money. He started it with his sons, Thomas and Alan, in 1978.
Irving Kahn was the oldest person actively managing money on Wall Street. He made his first investment in the summer of 1929. This was just months before the famous stock market crash in October of that year.
Early Life and Education
Irving Kahn was born in New York City on December 19, 1905. His parents were Mamie and Saul Henry Kahn.
He went to the City College of New York. Later, he became a teaching assistant to Benjamin Graham at Columbia Business School. Graham was a very important teacher in the world of investing.
Many famous investors were also students or assistants to Graham. These included Warren Buffett, who now leads Berkshire Hathaway. Other notable students were William J. Ruane, Walter J. Schloss, and Charles Brandes.
Graham had a huge impact on his students. Both Kahn and Buffett even named their sons after him. Kahn's third son, born in 1942, was named Thomas Graham. Buffett's first son, born in 1954, was named Howard Graham.
Investment Career
Irving Kahn was a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). This means he had special training and passed exams to become an expert in finance. He was among the first people to take the CFA exam.
He also helped start the New York Society of Security Analysts. This group helps financial experts learn and share ideas. He also helped create the Financial Analysts' Journal, a magazine for investors.
Kahn was known for his passion for finding good investments. In 2002, he said he enjoyed "finding a cheap stock." He added that he still worked evenings and weekends doing research.
His son, Thomas, who is now the president of Kahn Brothers Group, said: "My father continues to research ideas and talk to companies." He also mentioned that in this business, there's no set retirement age. He joked that you supposedly get wiser as you get older.
Personal Life
Irving Kahn and his three siblings were very old. Together, they were the world's oldest living group of brothers and sisters. Irving himself lived to be 109 years old.
His sister, Helen Reichert, lived to be almost 110. She passed away just seven weeks before her 110th birthday. His youngest sibling, Peter Keane, died at 103 years old. His other sister, Lee, lived to be 101.
Irving Kahn even outlived his son, Donald. Donald passed away suddenly in January 2015 at the age of 79.
Irving Kahn died on February 24, 2015, when he was 109. His death was reported in New York Times. The newspaper did not say what caused his death.
