Joseph Ainslie BearJoseph Ainslie Bear was an American banker who co-founded the investment bank Bear Stearns.Early life and educationBear was born to a Jewish family on May 28, 1878, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was educated in France, Germany, and Switzerland.CareerHe worked at the bond trading firm J.J. Danzig where he met Harold C. Mayer and Robert B. Stearns. In 1923, they founded Bear Stearns with $500,000 in capital.Personal lifeHis first wife was Julia Pam, sister of judge Hugo Pam.