| Robert Wood Johnson II | |
|---|---|
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| Born | April 4, 1893 New Brunswick, New Jersey |
| Died | January 30, 1968 |
| Resting place | Elmwood Cemetery |
| Education | Rutgers Prep |
| Occupation | Johnson & Johnson |
| Known for | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth D. Ross Margaret Shea |
| Children | Robert Wood Johnson III |
| Parents | Robert Wood Johnson I Evangeline Armstrong |
Robert Wood Johnson II (April 4, 1893 – January 30, 1968) was a United States businessman. He was the president of Johnson & Johnson between 1932 and 1938, and chairman of the board from 1938 until 1963. He was the son of the founder of J&J, Robert Wood Johnson I. He managed the company during the period of growth where J&J became an international corporation.
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Early career
Robert Wood Johnson II was born on April 4, 1893 in New Brunswick, New Jersey to the upper-class family of Robert Wood Johnson I and Evangeline Johnson. When he was sixteen, his father died, leaving him an estate of $2,000,000. At the time Johnson's father died, he was attending Rutgers Prep. Johnson dropped out of Rutgers Prep after only a few months and starting working full-time at J&J. This gave him an insight into the workings of the company for the rest of his life.
During World War I the company would go though a period of growth that continued until the Great Depression.
Personal life
Johnson married Elizabeth Dixon Ross in 1916.[1] Their son, Robert Wood Johnson III, was born in 1920. The marriage lasted until 1928, when they began a two-year trial separation, followed by divorce. Johnson married Margaret Shea in 1930, and the second marriage also ended in divorce in 1943.[2]
In 1928, Johnson took up residence at Morven in Princeton, New Jersey, the historic home of the Stockton family. It was converted into the New Jersey Governor's mansion after Johnson's lease on the property ended in 1945.[3]
World War II
Johnson held a reserve commission in the Quartermaster Corps during the 1930s. In World War II, he became a brigadier general and served as chairman of the Small War Plants Corporation (SWPC). During his tenure the SWPC was said to have saved "Small Industry" in America. Johnson personally over saw war contracts given to more than 6,000 companies. However, while in Washington Johnson made many adversaries and was forced to resign, in 1943. Johnson told newspapers that he was too ill to continue.[2]
His involvement in identifying products needed by the war effort resulted in the Permacell division of Johnson & Johnson inventing duct tape for sealing ammunition boxes. They simply took their existing cloth medical adhesive tape, added a waterproof plastic layer with a more aggressive adhesive and produced it in olive green to match the ammunition cans.
Also during the war Johnson & Johnson would be a major supplier for combat first aid kits and other military supplies. In 1941 Johnson started the Ethicon subsidiary.
After the war
From about 1946-1971 much of J&J ad account was guided by Arthur M. Menadier managing marketing and advertising from three agencies before retiring as EVP from Young and Rubicam charge.
His son, Robert Wood Johnson III, was the president of Johnson & Johnson from 1963 to 1965. In 1964 there was a falling out, and Robert Wood Johnson II, as chairman, fired his son.[4]
Death
Robert Wood Johnson II died on January 30, 1968, and left the bulk of his $400,000,000 estate to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. [5] His children already had been provided for in a series of trusts. Johnson was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in New Brunswick.[6]
References
- ^ "Miss E.D. Ross a Bride. Weds Robert Wood Johnson at Her Home.". New York Times. October 19, 1916, Thursday.
- ^ a b Foster, Lawrence G. (1999). Robert Wood Johnson: The Gentleman Rebel. Lillian Press. ISBN 0966288203. http://books.google.com/books?id=iEu1AAAAIAAJ.
- ^ "A Tour of Princeton Landmarks". The New York Times. 1989-04-30. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/30/nyregion/a-tour-of-princeton-landmarks.html. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
- ^ http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/laborhall/2005_johnson.htm
- ^ "Robert Wood Johnson, 74, Dies; Chairman of Johnson & Johnson; Founder's Son Led Company Until 1963. No. 2 Man on War Production Board.". New York Times. January 31, 1968. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0A13FC3E541A7493C3AA178AD85F4C8685F9. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
- ^ Johnson, Robert Wood, Jr., The Political Graveyard. Accessed August 16, 2007, Wednesday.
| Preceded by James Wood Johnson |
President of Johnson & Johnson 1910-1961 |
Succeeded by Robert Wood Johnson III |
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