Robert B. Evans
| Robert B. Evans | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
March 29, 1906 Richmond, Virginia |
| Died | August 17, 1998 (aged 92) Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan |
| Nationality | United States |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Robert Beverley Evans, Sr. (March 19, 1906 – August 17, 1998) was an automobile industry executive, a prominent Republican, an industrialist, a socialite, and an avid sportsperson. He founded Evans Industries and also became chairman of American Motors Corporation (AMC).
Evans was born in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from the Virginia Episcopal School, The University of Lauzon, and the University of Michigan.
As an entrepreneur, Evans became an owner a many companies with combined annual sales of US$20 million by the 1960s, but entrusted most business affairs to underlings. Instead, Evans focused his efforts on hobbies as golf, quail hunting, and designing and racing a hydroplane. He built a jet-powered hydroplane in 1960 with the goal to capture the world's water speed record that was held by Donald Campbell. He was determined to succeed even when his boat, "Miss Stars and Stripes II", crashed during a speed attempt.
Evans described himself in a New York Times interview as a relaxed Detroit millionaire who has spent 35 years specializing in the reconstruction of "sick companies."
Investors received AMC's annual report that reported significant losses in a plain brown envelope and Evans was called by Donald MacDonald, "a little- known Detroit healer of sick companies." Over a few weeks during January 1966, the sixty-year-old Evans bought 200,000 shares of AMC common (worth almost US$2 million or about $14,763,077 in 2017 dollars ). He became the firm's largest shareholder, with ownership of about 1% of the company.
Evans had no automobile industry experience, but "he had a reputation for success and for getting things done." On March 7, 1966, Evans got himself elected to AMC's board of directors and "immediately criticized the company's auto line as being too conservative." As sales of automobiles were weak industry-wide during 1966 and AMC was facing major losses, Evans was elected board chairman by AMC's directors on June 6, 1966. He replaced Richard E. Cross, who continued as a director and chairman of the executive committee.
...
Wikipedia