Individual Investment Association

The American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) is an independent nonprofit organization based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, dedicated to educating individual investors on effective asset management. It provides programs of education, information, and research through national resources and a network of local chapters that host monthly meetings with investment speakers. While specific scale metrics are not publicly disclosed, AAII has historically operated numerous chapters across the country. Its local chapters, such as the long-running Los Angeles group, have featured speakers from institutions like Morningstar and the Federal Reserve. The organization recently considered and then reversed a plan to dissolve its 34 chapters, reaffirming its commitment to local engagement. AAII was founded in 1978 by Dr. James Cloonan, a professor at DePaul University.