A passion for investing

Sol Koffler set up the Koffler Group family office in 1979 with assets from the sale of the company he founded, American Tourister. At the time it was the second-largest luggage company in the U.S, and he built it without ever borrowing a dime. Carrying debt violated his old-school principles of doing business and, it turned out, of investing as well. For the 17 years he ran the family office, he was content with modest growth—the best strategy, he believed, for preserving his family's wealth.

A thoughtful and generous man, Koffler was loved and respected by his family. No one questioned his right to invest his money as he chose, but after his death at 86 in 1996, the second and third generations steered the family office on a more adventurous investment path. To their minds, seeking high returns was the best bet for securing the family's financial future.

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