âAnarchistâ Mac McQuown started an index revolution 50 years ago Sam Potter Save Share The unsung hero of modern investing spends his days on the sunny vineyards of Sonoma, California â a world away from Wall Street. John âMacâ McQuown never helmed a big bank, crafted policy from Washington DC, nor enjoyed name recognition like his kindred spirit Jack Bogle. John McQuown and his team of legendary academics created the first index fund 50 years ago. AP But 50 years ago, McQuown and his team of legendary academics created the first-ever index fund â an innovation that would take a sledgehammer to the money-management establishment and evolve into a more than $US11 trillion ($14.5 trillion) industry.