BRENNAN
THE RECORD STANDS
“My happiness is not dependent on acquiring what I want and doing what I like. It is based on dealing with the cards dealt, appreciating what I need, and learning to like what I need to do.”
What does it take to rise from a cold-water flat in Newark to become a Wall Street and horse racing visionary and then face a decade in federal prison? Discover the incredible journey in “BRENNAN The Record Stands.”
"BRENNAN The Record Stands" is a riveting memoir that chronicles the extraordinary life of Robert Brennan, a man whose journey from the streets of Newark, New Jersey, to the summit of the establishment worlds of Wall Street and horse racing is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Born in 1944 into a family of nine children, relying on city food pantries and hand-me-downs, Brennan's early experiences forged a determination that propelled him to astounding heights.
This narrative transcends the typical 'rags to riches and back again' story. It is a deep exploration of a life lived on the edge, taking on all challengers and not backing down. Whether the adversary is the government, the NRA, or the generational titans of heretofore inaccessible businesses that he crashed as the new kid on the block, Brennan's career is marked by his visionary, often perilous, approach. His firm, First Jersey Securities, revolutionized investment in high-risk, emerging companies, and his impact on the world of horse racing was transformational, particularly noteworthy in an industry that instinctively rebelled against change. He established, owned, and managed enterprises that employed more than 10,000 at its height.
Brennan's memoir is replete with encounters with notable figures, including friendships with Hall of Fame coaches Bill Parcells and Mike Krzyzewski, who wrote the forward to this book. It also offers a unique insight into his interactions with influential personalities like Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Pope John Paul II. These relationships provide a backdrop to a life lived in the public eye, marked by both accolades and controversies.
His story is about attitude and playing the cards you’re dealt. After chairing the boards of universities and medical centers and being featured in the nation’s prime-time media, this book candidly addresses Brennan's legal battles and the three-decade-long struggle with the Securities and Exchange Commission that culminated in a conviction that led to a 10-year federal sentence. His narrative of unyielding perseverance during his high-roller days and in the face of daunting challenges reveals how he found a way to be happy throughout both worlds.
"BRENNAN The Record Stands" is not just a memoir; it's a piece of modern history that offers an unfiltered glimpse into the life of a man who impacted various sectors of American society. From his dynamic role in the financial world to his bitter battles with the powers that be to his extraordinary philanthropy, Brennan's life story is a compelling narrative of ambition, controversy, and the relentless pursuit of one's beliefs.
Don't miss the chance to discover the untold secrets, triumphs, and challenges of Robert Brennan's life. 'BRENNAN The Record Stands' is a gripping, page-turning memoir that will leave you inspired, amazed, and, yes…entertained.
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Bob Brennan is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Born in 1944, Brennan grew up as one of nine children in a Newark, New Jersey, five-room cold-water flat. His family counted on the city food pantry, the generosity of the local milkman, and a steady stream of hand-me-downs to survive. While building a vast and diverse business empire, he served his two alma maters, St. Benedict’s Prep and Seton Hall University, and his state’s larges medical center as their governing board’s chairman and leading benefactor.
At its height, First Jersey Securities, a firm he founded in 1974, had 36 offices nationwide, 2,000 employees, and half a million clients. Many considered Brennan a Wall Street visionary when he pioneered a ubiquitous TV advertising campaign that extolled risk-taking and prodded stock investors to take a chance on smaller, emerging companies, ads identified by his piloting a helicopter over national landmarks and ending with the tag:
“First Jersey Securities…Come grow with us.”
Brennan owned more than 1,000 Thoroughbreds (most of them bred at his Due Process Stables farms in Kentucky, Florida, and New Jersey) and three racetracks, including the $200 million Garden State Park, which he built and opened in 1985. Chefs International—another of his enterprises—operated 20 waterfront restaurants from Florida to Maine and other ventures he owned and managed employed more than 10,000.
Brennan has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, GQ, and Wall Street Journal and cover stories in Barron’s, Forbes, and Fortune. Mike Wallace’s hostile 60 Minutes segment on him and First Jersey garnered ratings that led CBS to rerun it.
After fighting for 25 years with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the court of public opinion, his life dramatically changed. Convicted of bankruptcy fraud, he served an unprecedented 10-year federal sentence and was released to reboot his life without so much as a pair of shoes.
BRENNAN: The Record Stands is his first book.
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