Dominick & Dickerman
Professional services
UnclaimedDominick & Dickerman is a New York-based investment and merchant banking firm with roots extending to 1870.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Dominick & Dickerman is a New York-based investment and merchant banking firm whose history reaches back to the founding of Dominick & Dickerman in 1870. For much of its modern history, the business operated under the better-known name Dominick & Dominick, reflecting a succession of family and outside partners. In 2015, after selling its wealth-management business, the firm reverted to its original Dominick & Dickerman name. The firm was established by William Gayer Dominick and Watson Bradley Dickerman, who met through the New York Stock Exchange. Its early business was securities brokerage, and it expanded from New York into regional and international markets. A Cincinnati branch opened in 1889, and the company later developed offices in London, Paris, Montreal, and other major European and North American financial centers. Its international growth was accelerated by the 1936 combination with A. Iselin & Co. and related Iselin businesses, which added partners, offices, and cross-border capabilities. Dominick & Dominick also participated in the development of investment-company products. In 1920 it launched The Dominick Fund, Inc., an early closed-end investment fund that raised $10 million through the sale of 200,000 shares. The fund survived the 1929 market crash, became listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1959, and was later merged into Putnam Fund in 1973. Following World War II, the firm benefited from economic expansion and participated in corporate-finance and securities transactions involving companies such as Alexander Smith Carpet Company, Great Plains Oil, and Arvida Corporation. In the 1960s it expanded its domestic brokerage network through acquisitions, including Schoellkopf, Hutton & Pomeroy and Townsend, Dabney, Tyson. It also opened a Chicago office and added numerous branches across the United States. This expansion left the firm overextended when markets weakened in the early 1970s. During the resulting restructuring, Dominick & Dominick sold most of its domestic retail brokerage operation, disposed of several exchange memberships, and accepted a $7.25 million capital investment from a group led by Pierce National Life Insurance Company. The firm retained a smaller platform focused on institutional services, corporate finance, municipal and corporate bonds, research, money management, international business, and selected retail activities. It subsequently reduced its workforce and branch network while developing fixed-income, portfolio-management, managed-futures, and clearing businesses. In the early twenty-first century, the firm sought renewed growth under president and chief executive Michael J. Campbell, appointed in 2003. Campbell recruited senior professionals from Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Credit Suisse First Boston, moved the headquarters to Midtown Manhattan, and expanded regional operations with offices in Miami and Atlanta. A risk-arbitrage group was added in 2007. The business currently describes its activities through three principal divisions: Private Wealth Management, Investment Banking, and Institutional Sales. Wealth-management services have included investment strategy, asset allocation, estate and wealth planning, insurance products, and alternative investments. Investment banking has focused on capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, governance, and operational or growth advice. Institutional Sales has provided research, trading recommendations, and execution services for institutional clients in the United States and abroad. The firm is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
History
Dominick & Dickerman began on June 15, 1870, when William Gayer Dominick and Watson Bradley Dickerman formed a New York stock brokerage partnership. Dominick had obtained a New York Stock Exchange membership in 1869, and the two founders built their business around securities brokerage. Dominick's brothers later became partners. The firm opened a Cincinnati branch in 1889, giving it an early presence beyond New York. Dickerman temporarily left the business after becoming president of the New York Stock Exchange in 1890, serving in that role until 1892 before returning to the firm. Dominick died in 1895. In 1899, the partnership adopted the name Dominick & Dominick as additional partners joined, including Milnor B. Dominick, Andrew V. Stout, J. A. Barnard, and Bernon S. Prentice. The company expanded its investment activities during the early twentieth century. In 1920 it created The Dominick Fund, Inc., an early closed-end fund that raised $10 million from 200,000 shares. The fund continued after the 1929 stock-market crash, was listed on the NYSE in 1959, and was ultimately merged into Putnam Fund in 1973. A major expansion occurred in 1936 through the combination with A. Iselin & Co., another long-established Wall Street business. The transaction also brought in Iselin Securities Corporation and the Iselin Corporation of Canada, together with offices and relationships in Paris and Montreal. Dominick & Dominick already had a London office, and the combined organization subsequently developed a broader European presence. World War II interrupted normal expansion as many employees and partners entered military or public service. Among them was Gayer G. Dominick, who had served as a New York Stock Exchange governor and later worked in the Roosevelt administration's Office of Price Administration. After the war, the firm's business benefited from economic growth. Its postwar activities included transactions involving Alexander Smith Carpet Company, Great Plains Oil, and Arvida Corporation. The Arvida offering attracted regulatory attention because of the timing of promotional announcements before the registration statement had been filed. During the 1960s the company expanded across the United States. It acquired Schoellkopf, Hutton & Pomeroy, opened in Chicago in 1962, acquired Townsend, Dabney, Tyson in 1966, and added many branches throughout the Northeast and elsewhere. The firm also attempted to pursue further expansion through a proposed 1970 merger with Clark, Dodge & Co., but that transaction was abandoned as market conditions deteriorated. The severe bear market and the firm's extensive branch structure created financial pressure. Dominick & Dominick sold four of its five NYSE seats and one of its two American Stock Exchange seats. It also sold a substantial interest for $7.25 million to an investor group led by Pierce National Life Insurance Company. The firm then disposed of most of its domestic retail brokerage business and closed or sold branches. Management characterized the move as a change in business scale and structure rather than a liquidation. After the restructuring, the company concentrated on institutional brokerage, research, corporate finance, municipal and corporate bonds, international business, money management, and specialized investment programs. It later offered clearing services to more than 100 securities firms and operated an advisory business serving wealthy individuals and institutions in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In 2003 Michael J. Campbell became president and chief executive. He recruited experienced managers, moved the headquarters from lower Manhattan to Midtown Manhattan, and added advisers from major financial institutions. The firm opened a Miami office in 2004, added Atlanta in 2006, and established a risk-arbitrage group in 2007. In 2010, after a federal court order, brokerage accounts connected with Stanford Financial Group Brokerage were transferred to Dominick & Dickerman; both firms used Pershing LLC as clearing firm. Following the sale of its wealth-management business in 2015, the enterprise returned to the Dominick & Dickerman name. Its stated activities include private wealth management, investment banking, and institutional sales.
- 2015
Return to the Dominick & Dickerman name
[1]After selling the wealth-management business, the firm reverts to its original name.
- 2007
Risk-arbitrage group added
[1]The firm expands its investment capabilities with a dedicated risk-arbitrage group.
- 2003
Michael J. Campbell becomes CEO
[1]New leadership begins a management, headquarters, and advisory-platform renewal.
- 1973
Retail brokerage retrenchment
[1]The firm sells most of its domestic retail brokerage platform and refocuses on institutional and specialized services.
- 1964
Corporate reorganization
[1]The business reorganizes from a partnership into a corporation.
- 1936
Combination with A. Iselin & Co.
[1]The merger adds personnel and offices in North America and Europe.
- 1920
The Dominick Fund launched
[1]The firm launches an early closed-end fund that raises $10 million.
- 1899
Name changes to Dominick & Dominick
[1]New partners join and the firm adopts the Dominick & Dominick name.
- 1889
First branch outside New York
[1]The firm opens a branch in Cincinnati.
- 1870
Founding of Dominick & Dickerman
[1]William Gayer Dominick and Watson Bradley Dickerman establish a New York stock brokerage partnership.
Products and positioning
An independent, relationship-oriented investment and merchant banking firm serving private clients, corporations, and institutional investors.
Wealth management
Private Wealth Management
Advisory services for private clients, including investment strategy, asset allocation, wealth and estate planning, insurance products, and alternative investments.
Investment banking
Investment Banking
Advice for public and private corporations on raising capital, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, governance, operations, and growth.
Institutional brokerage
Institutional Sales
Sales and execution services for institutional investors, including recommendations and implementation of trading strategies in United States and international markets.
Closed-end investment fund · 1920
The Dominick Fund, Inc.
An early closed-end fund created by the firm in 1920. It survived the 1929 market crash, was listed on the NYSE in 1959, and was merged with Putnam Fund in 1973.
Securities clearing
Clearing Services
Clearing support provided historically to more than 100 securities firms.
Brand decisions
2015
Return to the original corporate nameStrategyBackground
The firm sold its wealth-management business.
Action taken
The business reverted from Dominick & Dominick to its original Dominick & Dickerman name.
Aftermath
The rebranded firm continued as an investment and merchant banking business with private-client, investment-banking, and institutional-sales activities.
2003
Management and platform renewalStrategyBackground
The firm entered the twenty-first century under financial and organizational pressure and required new partner capital.
Action taken
Michael J. Campbell became president and CEO, recruited senior managers, relocated headquarters to Midtown Manhattan, and expanded its adviser base.
Aftermath
The company added Miami and Atlanta offices and launched a risk-arbitrage group as part of a renewed growth effort.
1973
Retrenchment from national retail brokerageStrategyBackground
A severe bear market exposed the strain created by the firm's broad branch network and expansion program.
Action taken
The firm sold most of its domestic retail brokerage operation, disposed of exchange seats, accepted outside capital, and concentrated on institutional, corporate-finance, fixed-income, and international activities.
Aftermath
The business became smaller and more specialized, reducing its physical network and workforce while retaining selected brokerage, advisory, and investment services.
Capital investment. $7.25 million investment from an investor group led by Pierce National Life Insurance Company (1973)
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/dominick-and-dominick · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled