May 11, 2026
Scottrade founder Rodger O. Riney, BS CiE ’68, MBA ’69, is among the Mizzou trailblazers to be recognized at spring 2026 commencement ceremonies.
By Janese Heavin | Show Me Mizzou
At the University of Missouri, we celebrate greatness. Mizzou’s most prestigious recognition, honorary doctorates, are awarded to trailblazers whose influence reaches far beyond campus, shaping Missouri, the nation and the world.
Among the trailblazers receiving honorary doctorates at spring 2026 commencement ceremonies is Rodger O. Riney, BS CiE ’68, MBA ’69. A business leader and philanthropist, Riney best known as the founder of Scottrade and for his and his wife Paula’s longstanding philanthropic endeavors in Missouri and across the country.
In 1980, Riney founded Scottsdale Securities in Phoenix, Arizona, joining the emerging discount brokerage industry. By 2000, the business had moved predominantly online, and the firm became known as Scottrade, Inc., maintaining a business model centered on low commissions, accessible branch offices and a strong emphasis on customer service.
In 2015, Riney announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, for which there is no known cure. The following year, he sold Scottrade to TD Ameritrade.
Riney and his wife established the Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation to support research aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of multiple myeloma and related cancers, as well as other philanthropic causes, primarily in Missouri. Through the foundation, the Rineys have funded more than 200 projects at more than 20 institutions, including theranostics and nuclear medicine for cancer treatment at the University of Missouri and the Mayo Clinic, and research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Riney graduated from Mizzou with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master of business administration. He and his wife live in St. Louis and have three children and six grandchildren.
This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to the Show Me Mizzou newsletter.