Raymond A. Mason

Raymond Adams "Chip" Mason (September 28, 1936 – August 22, 2025) was an American financier who was the founder of Baltimore-based investment firm Legg Mason and its president, chairman and CEO until 2007.[1][2] He founded his first brokerage company at age 25, merged it with another, and took Legg Mason public in 1974.[3]

Early life and education

Mason was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on September 28, 1936, and spent much of his childhood in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from the College of William & Mary in 1959.[1][2]

Career

Mason founded Mason & Company, a small stock brokerage in Newport News, Virginia, in 1962 at age 25. In 1970 his firm merged with Legg and Company, which brought Mason to Baltimore. He retired in 2007 after 46 years as chairman, president, and CEO of Legg Mason.[2]

Mason chaired the Securities Industry Association, the board of governors of the National Association of Securities Dealers, the United Way of Central Maryland Campaign, the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education and the Greater Baltimore Committee. He was also a board member of the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the National Aquarium.[4]

Death

Mason died on August 22, 2025, in Naples, Florida, at the age of 88.[5]

Honors

In 2005 the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary in Virginia was named after Mason, who was an alumnus of the college and was instrumental in establishing its business school.[4] In 2008 he received an honorary degree from the Johns Hopkins University.[2] In 2016 Mason was an honoree in the Baltimore Sun’s inaugural Business and Civic Hall of Fame for his role as a business leader in Baltimore and champion of social issues in the city.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Raymond Mason, Who Founded Legg Mason Money Manager, Dies at 88". Bloomberg News. Bloomberg. 24 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Visionary financier Raymond A. 'Chip' Mason, founder of Baltimore's Legg Mason, dies at 88". Hub. Johns Hopkins University. August 25, 2025. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  3. ^ Deborah, Brewster (July 25, 2005). "The CEO Who Saved the Best for Last" (PDF). Financial Times. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "The College of William and Mary School of Business Now the Mason School of Business". College of William & Mary. November 11, 2005. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  5. ^ Miller, Jacob A. (August 23, 2025). "In memoriam: The legacy of Raymond A. 'Chip' Mason '59, L.H.D. '98". W&M News. William & Mary. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  6. ^ Schumer, Matthew (August 24, 2025). "Chip Mason, founder of Legg Mason investment firm, dies at 88". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
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