CTC Names Lauren Rauch and Josh Schubkegel as Co-CEOs

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Effective January 1, 2026 Lauren Rauch and Josh Schubkegel will take over as Co-CEOs of the Chicago Trading Company (“CTC”) corporate group. Jonathan Grodnick, the firm’s current CEO, is stepping down and will remain on CTC’s Board of Directors.

“I am excited to pass the baton to the next generation of leadership at CTC,” said Grodnick. “Lauren and Josh bring complementary strengths, deep expertise, and a shared commitment to the values that have defined CTC for more than three decades. Their combined leadership will accelerate our momentum and take CTC to the next level. I look forward to supporting them – as a Board member and a long-time colleague – as CTC enters this next chapter.”

About Lauren Rauch

Lauren Rauch has been with CTC for over 20 years, spending the majority of her career in trading before holding senior roles across Global Risk Management, Technology, and Operations. Drawing from her extensive trading background, she brings valuable market perspective to her role as Chief Operating Officer, where she has driven greater clarity, focus, and alignment across the firm. Lauren is an exceptional operational leader known for building high-performing teams and guiding complex transformation efforts across the organization.

“I’m honored to help lead CTC into the future. This firm has shaped my entire career and who I am as a leader. The perspective I’ve gained across trading, risk, technology, and operations, combined with the unmatched teamwork I have witnessed across every discipline of the firm, gives me deep confidence in who we are and where we’re headed. Partnering with Josh, I’m energized by the opportunity to unite our strengths in trading, quant, and technology to raise the bar for what’s possible in options trading in the coming years.”

About Josh Schubkegel

Josh Schubkegel joined CTC in 2023 and currently serves as the firm’s Chief Technology Officer. Over the past three years, he has strengthened the Technology organization, modernized CTC’s trading platform, and led major advancements in low-latency systems, research infrastructure, and systematic tooling. With a career spanning trading technology, fintech startups, and market-making firms, Josh brings a unique combination of technical depth, strategic judgment, and organizational leadership. His engineering mindset and collaborative style will be critical as CTC continues to scale its capabilities and expand its strategic footprint.

“CTC has built its reputation on a deep understanding of options markets and quantitative excellence. The next phase of our evolution is about amplifying those strengths through world-class engineering – advancing our low-latency systems, expanding our research infrastructure, and building the systematic capabilities that will drive our growth in the years ahead. I’m excited to partner with Lauren as we take this next step together.”

About CTC

Founded in 1995, Chicago Trading Company (CTC) is a premier proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making, systematic strategies, and cutting-edge trading technology. We are committed to strengthening financial markets by actively trading a broad range of asset classes on derivatives exchanges worldwide. Each day, we help the world price and manage risk, making markets fairer, more transparent, and more efficient.