Our History
A tradition of commitment since 1894 • a legacy of putting clients first.
1894
John Tappan, age 24, founds Investors Syndicate.
1,000 people invest $5 each.
1914
Assets reach $1 million.
1925
West Coast entrepreneur John R. Ridgeway purchases Investors Syndicate from founder John Tappan and his partners.
1929
During the decade of the Great Depression (1929-1939), Investors Syndicate pays out every dollar on its due date – a total of $101 million to its certificate holders. Assets under management grow from $28 million to $153 million.
Stock market crashes.
1937
Assets reach $100 million.
1940
Investors Syndicate enters the mutual fund market with Investors Mutual Fund. Investors Stock Fund and Investors Selective fund follow in 1945.
1946
Ruth Abrahamson joins the company in 1946 and later becomes the number one female sales representative in the country.
1949
Investors Syndicate changes its name to Investors Diversified Services.
1957
Investors Syndicate Life Insurance and Annuity Company is formed (renamed IDS Life Insurance Company in 1973).
1960
Grady Clark becomes president – the only IDS president from the field force. Under Clark’s watch the IDS sales organization evolves into a highly integrated national network.
1984
American Express Company acquires IDS for $780 million.
Harvey Golub becomes President and CEO of IDS Financial Services.
1986
IDS acquires Wisconsin Employers Casualty Company of Green Bay and renames it IDS Property Casualty Insurance Company.
1989
The Alex Alexander award was created in memory of the company’s long-term top producer. Alex M. Alexander. Mr. Alexander led the company in sales for more than 45 years of his 51-year career. His legacy is honored every year as we recognize our top sales leader.
1994
Assets reach $100 billion.
1995
IDS changes its name to American Express Financial Advisors (AEFA).
2000
James Cracchiolo becomes President and CEO of AEFA, succeeding David Hubers.
2002
AEFA acquires Dynamic Ideas, LLC, the quantitative platform RiverSource Investments.
2003
AEFA increases its international presence by acquiring Threadneedle, a leading British investment firm.
2005
Ameriprise Financial becomes an independent, publicly owned company with more than 12,000 advisors and registered representatives and more than 2.7 million individual, business and institutional clients.
AMP begins trading on NYSE (October 3).
James Cracchiolo becomes Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ameriprise Financial.
As part of the company’s branch launch, Ameriprise Financial announces the RiverSource brand, covering the product, investment and distribution businesses.
2006
The company introduces our unique Dream > Plan > Track >® client experience.
2007
The company enters the FORTUNE® 5001 at 297.
2008
Ameriprise Financial acquires J. & W. Seligman and H&R Block Financial Advisors.
Global economic crisis drives broad stock market declines.
When the Reserve Fund “broke the buck” in one of its money market funds and freezes assets, Ameriprise Financial responds by advancing $700 million to help meet clients’ immediate cash needs and developing extensive market volatility resources for advisors.
2009
Ameriprise Financial announced a charitable partnership with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.
2010
With the Columbia Management acquisition, Ameriprise Financial becomes the eighth-largest manager of long-term U.S. mutual fund assets.
Ameriprise Financial owned, managed and administered assets reach $600 billion.
2014
Ameriprise Financial earned the second highest trust rating as well as the highest forgiveness rating in investment industry by Temkin Rating. 2
Ameriprise Financial launches its exclusive Confident Retirement® approach nationally.
Assets Under Management and Administration exceed $800 billion.
2015
2015
Launch of Columbia Threadneedle Investments brand.
New brand platform launches.