Corporate Governance - Biography

Carl H. Lindner is Chairman of the Board, founder and principal shareholder of American Financial Group, Inc.

Mr. Lindner began working in 1940 in his family's Norwood, Ohio cash-and-carry dairy market. That store was the origin of the Lindner family's United Dairy Farmers, Inc. convenience store chain and launched Mr. Lindner's career as self-made businessman and entrepreneur.

Mr. Lindner, a lifetime resident of Cincinnati, has contributed significantly to the economic and cultural lives of his fellow Cincinnatians. Besides creating thousands of Cincinnati-based jobs by headquartering his enterprises in the area, Mr. Lindner has donated his time and business acumen to many Cincinnati educational, cultural and civic organizations. Mr. Lindner has served on the Board of Advisors to the University of Cincinnati College of Business Administration, on the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Fine Arts Museum, the Board of Overseers of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Commercial Club of Cincinnati and the Citizens for a Better Cincinnati.

Mr. Lindner is a generous financial benefactor of numerous local educational and cultural institutions. Mr. Lindner's financial support was instrumental in establishing the Carl H. Lindner Family Center for Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife at the Cincinnati Zoo, as well as Lindner Park, a public recreational facility in Norwood, Ohio, the Carl and Edith Lindner Ice Age Exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center, and the Carl Lindner Family Tennis Pavilion at Sawyer Point. He and his wife, Edith Lindner, are also the major benefactors of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.

Mr. Lindner is recognized in Cincinnati for his generosity and has received a number of honors and rewards in recognition of his philanthropy and community involvement. The University of Cincinnati has recognized his significant contributions to the College of Business Administration by awarding Mr. Lindner with an honorary degree of Doctor of Commercial Science. In 1985 the University of Cincinnati (UC) again recognized Mr. Lindner with the dedication of Carl H. Lindner Hall and the creation of the Carl H. Lindner Medal for Outstanding Business Achievement awarded annually. In 1991, Xavier University awarded Mr. Lindner with an honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities and dedicated the Carl H. Lindner Family Physics Building, the final facility completing Xavier's Science Center. In 1994 the City of Cincinnati recognized Mr. Lindner as a Great Living Cincinnatian. In 1997 the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati presented Mr. Lindner with its prestigious Heritage Award. Mr. Lindner has been named a "Beacon of Light Humanitarian" by the Cincinnati-based Lighthouse Youth Services. He was recently inducted to the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame. Mr. Lindner is a 33rd degree Mason.

Mr. Lindner is the father of Carl H. Lindner III and S. Craig Lindner, who work together daily as partners in their various business interests.