WELLS & FARGO

American Express was founded in 1850 by Henry Wells, William Fargo and John Warren Butterfield. Two years later, Wells and Fargo would split off and form their own company, Wells Fargo. For the first 108 years of its history, American Express wasn't in the charge or credit card business. Instead, American Express began operations as an express mail business in Buffalo, NY. It wasn't until 1958 that they would launch their first travel-and-entertainment card (the American Express green card). They now have 114.4 million cards in force worldwide.