Key facts
- Norma Yaeger, a pioneering businesswoman and stockbroker, died at 96.
- She was the first woman to enroll in a stockbroker training program and to walk the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in 1962.
- Yaeger founded two securities firms: Yaeger Securities, Inc. (1981) and Yaeger Capital Markets (1991).
- She authored a memoir titled "Breaking Down the Walls," published in 2014.
- Yaeger was honored with a U.S. Congress Award upon her retirement.
Norma Yaeger, a trailblazing businesswoman and stockbroker who challenged gender norms in the financial industry, died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 96. Born Norma Hason in New York City on May 5, 1930, Yaeger became the first woman to enroll in Hornblower & Weeks, Inc.'s stockbroker training program in 1962. She is recognized as the first woman to demand and gain the right to set foot on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, which previously barred women.
Yaeger's career was marked by her determination to achieve financial independence and break down industry barriers. After her initial training, she was invited to Hornblower & Weeks' Management Advisory Board. Following a divorce and remarriage, she moved to California and established her own full-service brokerage firm, Yaeger Securities, Inc., in 1981. She also registered The Liquidity Fund, noted as the first Money Market Mutual Fund in California.
In 1991, Yaeger launched a second firm, Yaeger Capital Markets, to serve government pension plans, capitalizing on the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill. Throughout her career, she held licenses from major financial bodies, including the New York Stock Exchange, the National Association of Security Dealers, the Chicago Board of Options, and the Commodity Exchange. After selling her firm in 1998, she retired and dedicated time to traveling and lecturing to empower women in business.
Her memoir, "Breaking Down the Walls," published in 2014, chronicles her experiences as a pioneer in the male-dominated financial world. Yaeger was honored with a United States Congress Award upon her retirement, presented by Rep. Loretta Sanchez.