A Conversation with Norma Yaeger Retired Business Pioneer

The heart of the women’s movement was the underlying concept that women, as citizens, professionals, athletes and soldiers, were as valuable as men, and that was in the best interest of America

The women’s movement roots and purpose meant so much more to America in general and women in particular.  From the right to vote to the right to work to the right to privacy, the cultural and legal battle wages on, but many of the real soldiers never got the headlines.

Norma Yaeger, came of age in New York the mid 20th century when even educated women were expected to marry, have children and keep house.  So Norma went to Bernard Baruch College and the NY Institute of Finance and then she got married, had children and deferred to her husband. When he failed to provide, she not only stepped-up, she stepped out, and became a stockbroker.

In 1962, Norma became the first woman enrolled in the prestigious Hornblower & Weeks stockbroker training program; and as a trainee she demanded and got equal pay, and joined her fellow trainees as the first woman to walk the floor of the NYSE. After training Norma worked as a licensed broker at Hornblower & Weeks, and was the only women on their Management Advisory Board.  Her success led her to Bear Stearns & Co., and then Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc

Moving to California, Norma soon opened her own firm, initiated a mutual fund, started a second firm and lectured throughout the United States to give advice to women starting on careers and investing.  And she did all of this while raising five children,

Norma sold her firm in 1998, retired with Larry, and traveled the world. Now age 83, Norma has  written her first book Breaking Down the Walls