Early Life
Thomas Bailey was born in 1937. Information about his early life and upbringing is limited, but it is known that he developed a strong interest in finance from a young age.
Rise to Success
Bailey's career in finance is most notably defined by his founding of the Janus Capital Group in Denver, Colorado, in 1969. Under his leadership, Janus experienced rapid growth and became one of the largest and most successful mutual fund companies in the United States. He served as the CEO of Janus for 33 years until 2002 and as chairman through 2003. In 2001-2002, Bailey sold his 12% stake in Janus to its parent company for $1.2 billion (pretax).
Key Business Strategies
Bailey's vision for Janus centered on identifying and investing in dynamic, well-run companies, regardless of their size or industry. This approach allowed Janus to achieve remarkable returns during the bull markets of the 1980s and 1990s. Bailey's focus on a research-intensive culture and growth investment philosophy contributed significantly to Janus's success.
Philanthropy
The Janus Foundation assists more than 140 national nonprofits by offering academic education programs to at-risk youth. Most notably in Denver, through Junior Achievement, Janus has adopted seven schools within the Denver Public School district, providing the necessary funds and volunteers for students to complete the entire series of Junior Achievement curricula.
