John J. Phelan Jr.
John Joseph Phelan Jr. | |
|---|---|
Phelan in 1983 or 1984 | |
| President of the New York Stock Exchange | |
| In office 1980–1984 | |
| Preceded by | No President between May 1972 and May 1980 |
| Succeeded by | Robert J. Birnbaum |
| Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange | |
| In office 1984–1990 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 7, 1931 Manhattan, New York City |
| Died | August 4, 2012 (aged 81) Manhattan, New York City |
| Spouse | Joyce Phelan |
| Alma mater | Adelphi College (BA) |
| Occupation | financier |
| Known for | introduced computerized trading technology |
John Joseph Phelan Jr. (May 7, 1931 – August 4, 2012) was an American financier who served as president and later chairman and chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange, where he introduced computerized trading technology. Phelan's leadership tenure at the NYSE included the 1987 stock market crash, during which he declined to halt trading. Phelan's calm and confident manner was widely praised. After the crash, Phelan helped to implement trading curbs also known as "circuit breakers" to help prevent rapid stock selloffs in the future.