REX SINQUEFIELD

Chess

Occupation: Founder
Born: September 7, 1944; St. Louis, Missouri
Founded: St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center

By Ed Wheatley

While some may not think of chess as a sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes it as such, as do more than 100 countries around the world.  The IOC’s recognition is an acknowledgment of the sport-like aspects of the game.

The same national fervor that can be found in the Olympic games, be it basketball, hockey, or gymnastics, can also be found in the sport of chess and its worldwide matches.

St. Louis native, Rex Sinquefield is often called the greatest chess sponsor in American history.  Through his support of the Saint Louis Chess Club and the World Chess Hall of Fame, the Gateway City is now recognized as the premier chess destination worldwide.

Chess Master Jeff Kastner notes that “Sinquefield’s efforts over the last two decades helped St. Louis surpass New York City as a chess mecca.”  In recognition of these accomplishments, the United States Congress in 2014 designated St. Louis as the Chess Capital of the United States.  Since then, the honor has been extended worldwide.

Rex Sinquefield, often referred to as one of the world’s leading financial gurus, now dedicates most of his time and resources to philanthropic causes and efforts that strengthen Missouri and the St. Louis region.

He was born and raised in St. Louis. At age 7, he and his younger brother were moved into an orphanage after the unexpected death of their father. Raised by the Sisters of Charity in the St. Vincent Home for Children in St. Louis, Sinquefield spent his childhood studying, praying and performing daily chores. He entered the seminary briefly before enrolling in Saint Louis University. He went on to earn his MBA at the University of Chicago, where he studied under Nobel Laureates Eugene Fama and Merton Miller.

In 1973 Sinquefield invented a type of passive investing and pioneered the world’s first index funds. In 1981, he and David Booth co-founded the investment firm Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA). Working alongside his wife, Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield, who served as DFA’s executive vice president, Sinquefield helped grow and expand the firm globally. Today, DFA has more than $637 billion in global assets.

Upon their retirement in 2005, the Sinquefields returned to St. Louis and focused their time and resources on multiple civic and philanthropic causes. He co-founded and serves as president of the not-for-profit organization the Show-Me Institute (SMI), the state’s only free-market think tank. SMI engages in scholarly research and promotes sensible market solutions for state and local policies, such as eminent domain, education, corporate welfare, and healthcare.

In 2008, Sinquefield’s life-long love of chess led him and his wife to found the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, an educational organization widely recognized as the premier chess facility in the country and one of the best in the world. Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of the game for students, the center aims to promote and grow scholastic chess programs in area schools, especially the Saint Louis Public School System.

Sinquefield dedicates much of his time working on improving educational opportunities for every Missouri child, regardless of social and economic background. The couple gives generously to primary and secondary scholarship programs and supports statewide education-reform initiatives.  Beyond their generous financial contributions, the couple actively participates in civic and cultural institutions across the St. Louis region.