Los Angeles County
Biographies
NEIL PETREE
Neil Petree, merchant, was born in Norborne, Missouri March 18, 1898, the son of Louis E. and Kittie (Neil). Moving to California with his parents at an early age he received his grammar and high school education in the public schools of San Jose, California, graduating from Stanford University with an A.B. degree in economics in 1919. Served in France as an ambulance driver and aviator in the French Army, transferring to United States Army as a lieutenant in the Aviation Corps during World War I.
His career in the merchandising business started as a salesman with Weinstock Lubin and Company, a department and mail order store in Sacramento, California in 1919. He advanced steadily to positions of increasing responsibility as buyer for men’s furnishing department, group buyer for main floor departments and merchandise manager of apparel group; with Hale Brothers, a San Francisco department store in 1925 as division merchandise manager; then sales manager, general merchandise manager and in 1928 merchandise manager for the chain if six Hale Department Stores in California; vice president, Associated Dry Goods corporation of New York, 1929; vice president and general merchandise manager of James McCreery and company, New York department store (owned by Associated Dry Goods Corporation of New York) 1930; president James McCreery and Company 1931-1938 and president and director of Barker Bros. Corporation, Los Angeles, California since his election February 1, 1938. He is a director of Founders Fire Insurance Company, Bank of America, Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company, Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Southern California Gas Company, Palos Verdes Corp. He was state director for Southern California Office of Price Administration, Los Angeles, California in 1942; president Los Angeles War Chest 1945, chairman, Metropolitan Traffic and Transit Committee, Consulting professor of merchandising, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, director Automobile Club of Southern California. All-Year Club, Down-Town Business Men’s Association, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and California State Chamber of Commerce and won Cavalier Award as the outstanding merchant who did most for his country in 1942.
Mr. Petree is a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and was president Stanford University Alumni Association.
His club memberships are California, Bel-Air Bay, University and Los Angeles Country.
Married in 1919 to Miss Vera Thomas, they reside at 65 Fremont Place, Los Angeles, California. Has one daughter, Mrs. Richard K. Rifenbark.
Transcribed 8-31-14 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Eminent Californians
1953, by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor.
Page 464, C. W. Taylor Publ., Palo Alto, California,
1953.
© 2014 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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BIOGRAPHIES