Early Life
Jeffrey Craig Sprecher was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on February 23, 1955. He graduated from James Madison Memorial High School and later earned a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1978 and an MBA from Pepperdine University in 1984.
Rise to Success
Sprecher's career began at Trane, and he later joined Western Power Group in 1983. In 1996, recognizing the potential in the deregulating electric industry, he acquired Continental Power Exchange (CPEX) for $1 plus debt assumption. This acquisition was the cornerstone for the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which he founded in Atlanta in 2000. Under Sprecher's leadership, ICE expanded through strategic acquisitions, including the New York Stock Exchange in 2013, and became a publicly traded company in 2005.
Key Business Strategies
Sprecher's key business strategies involved identifying market inefficiencies and leveraging technology to create more transparent and efficient platforms for trading. He focused on strategic acquisitions to expand ICE's footprint in the financial markets, including commodities, fixed income, and mortgage technology.
Philanthropy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sprecher and his wife donated $1 million to Phoebe Foundation's COVID-19 Relief Fund. In 2025, they donated $5 million to MAGA Inc., a super PAC that supports Donald Trump.