Bertrand Vogt

Bertrand Othmar Vogt known bis his initials B.O. Vogt (German: [bɛrˈtrænd vɔt]; 1857 - September 23, 1936) was a Swiss industrialist, philanthropist and politician. He served on the Grand Council of Aargau from 1909 to 1917 for the Free Democratic Party. He was controlling shareholder and president of Hediger Sons, a tobacco manufacturing concern, which was later integrated in Villiger Sons. Since 1908 he was also a member of the Aargau Natural Research Society and since 1920 he served on the Board of Directors of Bank in Menziken (a predecessor from Valiant Bank). He has also been a major investor into Fischer Reinach.

Vogt was born in 1857 at Menziken, Switzerland, the second eldest legitimate son of Melchior Vogt, Sr. (1811-1893) and Elisabeth (née Heiz). He had one elder brother and three younger sisters. His father hailed from a well-established family who became affluent operating bath houses, brothels and inns before switching into the cotton industry in the late 18th century. Melchior was also active as mayor of Menziken and founder and president of the largest regional bank at the time. He completed the schools in Menziken and Reinach before completing a commercial apprenticeship in a banking house.

Initially, Vogt was employed as signing officer with several companies, before taking up residence in Basel, Switzerland working for E. Staehlin-Simon, a tobacco trading company and money change house, near the central station. After the death of his father-in-law he and his wife returned to Reinach, Aargau where he ultimately became a partner in Hediger Sons, back then the largest manufacturer of tobacco in the region, with an investment of 60,000 Swiss Francs. Since 1904, the company was managed as a corporation, which ultimately was presided by Vogt. He also served as board member of Bank in Menziken.

Vogt married Emilie Hediger, a daughter of the tobacco manufacturer Johann Rudolf Hediger (1827-1893) who was the proprietor of Hediger Sons (which later merged into Villiger Sons). The couple did not have children. His estate was turned into the Vogt Brothers Fund in 1937 by his younger brother Manfred Linus Vogt (who also died without issue in 1943).