Robert Douglas Stuart Jr. (April 26, 1916 – May 8, 2014) was the son of Quaker Oats Company co-founder R. Douglas Stuart, the founder of the America First Committee in 1940, the CEO of Quaker Oats from 1966 to 1981, and United States Ambassador to Norway from 1984 to 1989.[1]
Robert D. Stuart Jr. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador to Norway | |
| In office September 18, 1984 – July 17, 1989 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Mark Evans Austad |
| Succeeded by | Loret Miller Ruppe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 26, 1916 Winnetka, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | May 8, 2014 (aged 98) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Barbara Edwards |
| Children | Four |
| Alma mater | Princeton University (AB) Yale University (LLB) |
Early life
editStuart was born in Winnetka, Illinois, on April 26, 1916, the son of Harriet (McClure) and R. Douglas Stuart.[2] His grandfather, Robert Stuart was one of the founders of the Quaker Oats Company. He was educated at Princeton University, graduating with a A.B. in 1937. He then attended Yale Law School.
America First
editOn September 4, 1940, while a law student, Stuart organized the anti-interventionist organization America First Committee to support the enforcement of the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s and to oppose United States intervention in World War II.[3] Other students who joined Stuart's committee included Gerald Ford, Sargent Shriver, and Potter Stewart. The America First Committee asked Robert E. Wood, chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company, to become its leader.[4] They later asked Charles Lindbergh to serve as their spokesman.
At its height, the America First Committee may have had as many as 800,000 members in 650 chapters. It was disbanded shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan, on December 7, 1941.
Army service
editStuart served in the US Army during World War II, attaining the rank of major.[5] After the war, he returned to Yale Law School and received his J.D. in 1946.
Career
editStuart joined the Quaker Oats Company, where he would work for 38 years. He was chief executive officer of the company from 1966 to 1981, first as president and later as chairman of the board.
Stuart's time as CEO was notable for diversifying the company, most notably in 1969, when the Quaker Oats Company acquired toy manufacturer Fisher-Price. During his time as CEO, revenues grew from $500 million to $2 billion.
In addition to running Quaker Oats, Stuart sat on the boards of directors of the First National Bank of Chicago, United Airlines, Deere & Company, and Molson.
Stuart was active in the Republican Party. From 1964 to 1972, he was the Illinois Republican Party member on the Republican National Committee.[6]
He was also active in the Boy Scouts of America and the Chicago Urban League.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan named Stuart as United States Ambassador to Norway. Stuart presented his credentials on October 16, 1984, and served as ambassador until July 17, 1989.
Stuart was a member of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 1991 and 1993. He was appointed to the 1991 commission by President George H. W. Bush and the 1993 commission by President Bill Clinton.
He served on the board of the National Commission on the Public Service, which was chaired by Paul Volcker, which produced the Volcker Report in 2003.
Death
editStuart died of a heart attack while he was traveling back to the United States from France, at the age of 98, on May 8, 2014.[7]
References
edit- ^ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR ROBERT DOUGLAS STUART, JR" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 14 March 1991. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Reports of the United States Board of Tax Appeals". 1940.
- ^ Laurence Arnold (2014-05-12). "Robert D. Stuart Jr., Quaker Oats chief and founder of America First, dies at 98". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
- ^ Megan, Graydon (May 14, 2014). "Robert D. Stuart Jr., former CEO of Quaker Oats, dies". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ Weber, Bruce (May 20, 2014). "Robert Stuart Jr., 98, Quaker Oats Chief and War Foe in 1940, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ Illinois Blue Book 1971-1972. p. 825.
- ^ Arnold, Lawrence (May 12, 2014). "Robert D. Stuart Jr., Quaker Oats chief and founder of America First, dies at 98". Washington Post. Retrieved February 23, 2016.