J. Christopher Burch

The name was an homage to their father, whose nickname was Eagle. Fueling the burgeoning preppy craze, Eagle’s Eye designed and sold women’s, men’s and children’s sweaters adorned with embroidered motifs. When the very first shipment of sweaters arrived smaller than expected, Burch and his brother—selling door to door on and around their college campus—convinced women that the snug fit was stylish. Over the next decade, Eagle’s Eye expanded to national distribution, including more than 50 of the brand’s own retail stores. Eagle’s Eye was partially sold to Swire Group in 1989 and entirely in 1998 in a deal that valued the brand at $60 million.

After the sale of Eagle’s Eye, Burch pursued investment opportunities across a range of industries, combining his financial resources, entrepreneurial background, and global manufacturing relationships to fund and advocate for more than 50 companies. Burch was one of the earliest investors in Internet Capital Group, a well-known IPO story in the Internet space. He also invested in a number of well-known businesses, most notably Aliph (manufacturer of Jawbone, the leading Bluetooth mobile phone headset); Powermat wireless charging stations; women’s fashion label Tory Burch (formerly “Tory by TRB”) in partnership with his former wife; and Voss Water. Read Less