Los Angeles County
Biographies
PAUL GRAY HOFFMAN
Paul Gray Hoffman, president of the Ford Foundation, was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 26, 1891; son of George Delos and Eleanor (Lott).
He was a graduate of La Grange (Illinois) High School in 1907; student at the University of Chicago, 1908-09; received honorary D.B.A. degree from University of Southern California, D.Sc. Degree from Coe College (Cedar Rapids , Iowa), Doctor of Humanics (sic) from Hillsdale College (Michigan), Dr. Commercial Science from New York University, and LL.D. degrees from the following: Allegheny College, American University (Washington, D.C.; for Distinguished Public Service), Bucknell , Columbia, Dartmouth, Grinnell College, Harvard, Indiana University, Jefferson Medical College, Kenyon, Lafayette, Occidental College, Rose Polytechnic Institute, Syracuse University, University of California, University of Notre Dame, University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester, Valparaiso University, Washington University, Wesleyan, Williams, and Yale.
Mr. Hoffman began his career as porter for Chicago distributor of Halladay car, then became a salesman for the Studebaker Corporation, 1911, in Los Angeles, sales manager for the Los Angeles branch, 1915, district branch manager, 1917. He purchased the Los Angeles retail branch in 1919 and was appointed vice president of the Studebaker Corporation in 1925, then elected president in 1935, which position he held until April 9, 1948, when he resigned to assume his post as Administrator of Economic Cooperation Administration, which position he held until September 30, 1950, when he resigned to assume the presidency of the Ford Foundation. Mr. Hoffman is also chairman of the board of Hoffman Specialty company.
Director of New York Life Insurance Company, United Air Lines, Encyclopaedia Brittannica, Encyclopaedia Brittannica Films, Inc., Time, Inc.; director (1933-48) and vice president (1946-48) of the Automobile Manufacturers Association; member of Business Advisory Council, Department of Commerce since February 12, 1941; honorary chairman and honorary director of United Service to China, Inc. (Chairman, 1941-43); member of Visiting Committee, Department of Government, Harvard University; Councilor of National Industrial Conference Board; president of Automotive Safety Foundation, 1937-41, president and chairman, 1941-42 and chairman, 1942-48; chairman of Board of Trustees of Committee for Economic Development, 1942-48, and now trustee; trustee and member of Executive Committee of United States Council, International Chamber of Commerce; member of Public Policy Committee, and Advertising Council, Inc.; trustee of Kenyon College, October 1940-November 1950, and of University of Chicago, August 1937-November 1950; director of Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 1942-49; member-at-large of National Council, Boy Scouts of America, 1949-50.
Mr. Hoffman was commissioned and served as first lieutenant with the Field Artillery, United States Army, 1917-1919.
Member of the following clubs: University, Country, California, Lincoln (Los Angeles); Tavern (Chicago); Chikaming Country (Lakeside, Michigan); Burning Tree, Metropolitan (Washington, D.C.); San Gabriel (California) Country; member of Delta Tau Delta (national president, 1940-42). Republican. Mason.
Author of “Marketing Used Cars,” 1930; “Seven Roads to Safety,” 1939; “Peace Can Be Won,”1951; and various articles.
Received the following awards: Henry Laurence Gantt Gold Medal, 1946, by American Management Association and American Society of Mechanical Engineers for “distinguished achievement in industrial management as a service to the community”; 1946 Award for greatest contribution to national welfare, by National Association of Public Relations Counsel; Sigma Tau Sigma National Social Science Award, 1951; Beecroft Award, 1947, by Society of Automotive Engineers; American Education Award for 1948, by National Education Association; Rosenberger medal, 1948, by University of Chicago; Poor Richard Gold Medal of Achievement, by Poor Richard Club, 1950; Scroll, 1948, by New York Board of Trade; Gold Medal, 1949, by National Planning Association for “Outstanding contributions through planning to the betterment of human life”; William Penn Award, 1949, by Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, to “Honor the man in America who has made the most outstanding contribution to the business or economic life of our country”; Distinguished Salesmanship Award, 1949, by Sales Executives Club of New York, for “outstanding salesmanship in business in the cause of world peace”; Brotherhood Citation, 1949, by National Conference of Christians and Jews for “the devotion to, and sympathetic understanding of the spiritual as well as economic needs of his fellow men in these difficult times”; Freedoms’ Foundation Award, 1950, eighth highest award for magazine article “More Machines Mean More Wages.”
On December 18, 1915, he married Dorothy Brown; children: Hallock Brown, Peter Brown, Donald Gray, Robert Cheseboro, Lathrop Gray, Barbara, and Kiriki (ward). Their home is at 1500 Mirador Drive, Pasadena, California.
Business address: Ford Motor Corporation, 914 East Green Street, Pasadena, California.
Transcribed
1-28-14 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Eminent
Californians 1953, by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Pages 223-224, C. W. Taylor
Publ., Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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