Dean G. Witter

Dean Gooding Witter (August 2, 1887May 25, 1969) was an American businessman, stockbroker, and investor. With his brother Guy Witter and cousin Jean Witter, Dean Witter co-founded Dean Witter & Company in 1924, which became the largest investment house on the West Coast. Witter's family had moved to Northern California from Wausau, Wisconsin, settling in San Carlos, California in 1891. Witter graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1909. At Berkeley, Witter was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity, and was a distinguished rower. Upon graduation, Witter worked as a salesman for Louis Sloss & Company. In 1914, Witter partnered with Charles R. Blyth to found Blyth, Witter & Co., a San Francisco-based brokerage. Witter left the partnership to found his own company, Dean Witter & Company, in 1924. With its original offices at 45 Montgomery Street in San Francisco, California, Dean Witter would be among the largest West Coast brokerage firms in the U.S. Among Witter's original partners were his brother Guy and their cousins Jean C. Witter and Ed Witter as well as Fritz Janney.