Chapter five of Corydon Bell's 1963 history of Champion Papers covers the executive succession. This 12 page chapter includes a short history of the major executives working for Champion ending with Karl R. Bendetsen, elected in 1960, who was the first executive not of the Thomson family.

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  • Pages: 12 pages
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  • Western Carolina University
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  • HL_MSS85-18_01_05

) 1) S• THE ElECUTIVZ SUCCE3oiON On July 10, 1931, Peter Gibson Thomson, founder and rir•t pre1ident ot Challlpion, died or a heart attack at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati wb.Ue N• oovering fi'OJI an Ulntss or several weeks. Hie death vas unexpected. Then had been no indioaions ot a heart condition; and impl"'W9ment in health had enoovaced bill to make plans tor retvning to Laurel Court the tollowing week. His nc:lden death was a great shook to bia tallily and triend.l, and to all those who had known and worked with hta at Chaapion. Peter Thomson, durina a period ot alrlost 40 yeare • had eDtployed hie talents and h11 steadfast determination in deYelop1ng Champion trom a NOdest coating 11Ul to a large and emanentl.y suooesstul paper-making enterprise that bad experieDCMd both triumph and crippling disaater. He mu.t have died with taith that hie sou, and those who ndght later usQM the hela or the Champ­ion organiution, would support the same principle• and motiYel or honesty, taimees and human ldndne1s that had been hia. 1I1e pride val not in hiluelt nor in the precepts by which he lived, but in thoee things vhioh he had won from lites hie tamlly • his business, his place 1n the hearte ot those who wre deu to hia. 'l'his modest, unselfish, sott-epoken un, who did 10 much tor so Mll71 lett the intprees or hia pePeon&l.itJ on a great 1ndu.atr1al em­pire. A. etrong reneotion or that bapreesion is olearl;r recognisable toclay in the character and attitude ot Champion ~~&n&ge~nt. Q.exa!l4er Thouon Alexander Thou on tint entered h1a father t I 811lpl;r &I a laborer 1n the ori&inal mUl or '!be Champion Coated Paper Coapal'Q' at H&Ddl.ton. Ilia initial 2) job under !/Uliam ( •Bill") Clark was the stud7 of proble connected with casein, an adhesive material then coming into use a a substitute for animal glu for bonding the lay coating to paper. An old photograph s.owa him in spatter d cap and overalls, working among the tubs and vats or the color room: a slender young man, sporting the type of luxuriant ust&oh COilV.l10n in that era. His weekly wage was 6.oo, half of which he paid to his mother tor board and lodging. Alexander worked at Cha.tnpion tor 42 years. Pro otions carried hilll through various departments of the business. Fro the position of order olerk in the sales department. he rose to the status o£ assistant sales anager. . e also served for soma years as advertising manager, nd. ns • in time, made vioe-pl'&lsident. In 1931 he wu elected president of Champ. ion, and upon his retirement in 19).5 beoa e chairman or the board. He died at Cincinnati on Juno 25, 19)9, having lived to see the Pasadena mill at the Te a Division completed and well into successful production. Like his father, Alexander was a man ot diverse interests. Maey civio and national att'airs claimed his attention. At various time• he was a vice­pr sident of tao H4!!1Uton YMCA. He was an active eolloitor tor many munity Chest drives: aa Elder in the Presb,yteri&n Church; ~resident or the Hamllton and Ohio Chambers or Cbmeroet and a otor of the tional Chamber ot Com."lleroe; a Director of the ational aooiation or . nutaoturersl a prominent p rtioipant in local hospital affairs and y Scout group•• ~ wa:~ also a l!letllber of the Cora.:nonwealth, Coll't rei l, and Literaey Clubs. So ewnat paralleling Champion's interests in raw materiala for paper aking, Alexander Thomson gave lite-long attention to attera oonoerni to atry, farming, soil conservation, and the aooial and eoon 1o develo nt ot ta era. Latar in lite he was able to put these inte ••t• to work private .. ) ) ly at Old '1'1n:tbers, his tam nea.:r flew Harion. Indiana. !Qs.~ q, 'l'hi,m.B,OIL Logan G, Thomson, th• )"'UngEtst eon ot Peter O. Thollson, bttoame preaident ot Champion 1n 19)5 at the ago of t1tty.one, toursyeare alter his fatner 1e ,\" ('!; v I ' l (, I.S death. Logan•s entry into the <hampion organization vas the ......~~ -W' father's strong belief that the a.xeoutive branch of the oomp&UT should be held witb1n the ThotYI.son f'&!lltl1• To this end Logan was "reared to the oratt,tl He beoA!llt an emplo7Qe ot Champion ic 1902 as an eighteen-year•ol.d roll boy on a paper aohine in the HamUton mUl. Except. for the yee:rs away from Champion when he attended ~liams College, and when he performed a tour ot duty ftl\thhe Armed Servicu during ~'lorld vlar I, lAgan devoted his l1te to the interests or Champion. Ue worked 1n ~!lVB'f!Y' departm.ent of the orsanization: leam:Lng trw technical processes o£ paper manutaot\U'f:la stud.71ng the import­ant factors of raw materiala and of sales and distribution ot the finished product. He asau.11ed th.e manage:ment of the N~w lo:rk ottooe in 1909, and three years later beea.tne assistant production numager of the Handlt.on plant. A.t'ter World. ~lar I he became a director of the oomp&JV'• Daring tne tolloving yea.ra he serve& as secretary and treasurer and aa first vioe-pJ~&aident. of the organizatiQn. He held the position ot president until his death 1n t~. IDga.n Thomson shOWGd substantial interest in the oivio &!'fair$ of his community. He was always wllling to give his assistance to worthwbile humanitarian projects. He was opposed to publicity. proferr1ng to worlc anon1JllQuely as a l'llOt.ive force behind a campaign rather than to appear in the spot light as its leader. Charaoteriatioally. he remained an active and 1nf'lwmti&lll\$tUber of the Hamllton YMCA. tor over )0 years, although he de­clined to aoaept a~ off1o1al position. The drive for tunds for the oon- 4) struction ot a buUding to serve as h.eadquart,era or the RamUt.on Post ot the American Legion was one of the ftN ventures of this eol"t 1.n ·which he accepted a t.ont-rank position. In this campaign on 1944 he worked aa oo-c~n with Lucian Kab.rh His outstanding contributiona toward the suo .. cess or the campaign were recognized by the Legion, which a-rded him a lUe mGlllbership 1n the organ1$1tion. As a source of recreation, Logan Thomson enjo;yed waur sports and ;ra.oht.­ing mo~ than other outdoor puPauits. As a ;rouns man be had pl.,ed baaeball on th-e Champion team at Hamilton.J but later, the excitement. of yachting on the ilU.Aftd lakes occupied most ot his leisure time. t-1em.bers of the Chicago Yacht CLtl'b and the Belvedere Club of Chu-l.evoix, Michigan, a.dnd,red him as a serious and Oo1llp8tf.lmt sailor. His friends at hOllle considered him. a. gracious MAtvaluod membel' ot the CoUeg& U1U rnab7terian Church., Resktg B. &?Qertsoa Upon the dea,th ot togan Th011Son in 1946, .Reuben Buck Robertson was elect$d to the presidency of The Champion Paper and Fiore ~ Mr-. Robertson assumed that position following upon a forty-one-year ca~r with the company; a aareer of ~rka'ble a.ooo!lplishmEmt that. was 1nt:l.m.atel7 1:1l!­volved with the years of great expansion or the enterprise. Reuben Robertson was bot"n on June 11, 1879•••t Ci:notnnati• Ohio. His tathert Judge Charles Dw1l'breok Robertson, born a Sootaman 1n the Shetlatd. Ialands1 Ca.Dl& to the United States in 186)11 where he later Dtarried Cynthia Buolc ot Fredonia.. New York. Reuben graduated from high sohool 1n C1no1nnat1, matriculated at Yale University and there received an A.B. degree in 1900. Choosing the profession of his f'athel" in whioh to uke a career, he enter-ed the Law School of Cincinnati from which he graduated 1n 190 )• He waa ) .5) additted to the bar 1n that year, During the follow1ng th~o years he practiced law as a member of his father's ti:m, Robertson and 9\lohwalter. I~ was as a zoising young la.ll,1er that Reuben met Hope Lindenberger Thom­son• the youngest daughter of Peter G. Thomson. They were married on June 7, 190.5, the year in which The Champion Coated Paper Coapa~ ns uking plana · !or esta.bllihing a pulp mill in the South. It is quite understandable that Peter Thomson urged his new aon-1n-la~ to torsak• the legal pzootsssion and enter the paper-making business. Reuben :RobeJttson beoame affiliated with Champion lata 1n 1906, when the Canton mUl was in the process of construction. 1.-iith bis bride ancl his daughter Hope, wno was then six months of age, he moved to Su.nburst. 1lorth Cal'Ollna., to take over the management of lUlJlbal'" and pulpwood production in the Canton area. For tha next ti'fe or six years Mlt. Robertson undertook special assignments 1n the l'll&nutaoture of pulp at the Carolina l'lliU. In 1928 he was made Vice-president ot The Champion Fibre Company, as the tbrth Caro­lina operation was then knowna aeven yea.ra later he beoante its presid.ent. ~.Jhen The Champion Coated Paper Company and The Challpion Fibre Coapan;r were merged under the name ot The Champion Paper and Fibre ~pany in 19J5 he was ma.do its executive vioe-.president. In 1946 he was elected president of Champion, and in 1950, oha.iman of the board. Attar his retirement in 1960, at the close of a long and aotive career, he was given the titles of Director er1tue and Honorary Chairman of the Board. To these formal honors one must add the informal awards ot atfect1on and war= friendship givon him b,r his thousands of friends throughout the Champion organization--from office worker to mill hand. Reuben Robertson bas so etimos been described as a .. living legendary ti&Ure," But this p'Ul'el.1' literar.y phrase does not adequately describe his very dynamic peraonality. ) 6) The wrl.t~n· WU impressed. and _delighted, tlOt long ago,. to haU' & m1l.1 SU!Jeli­intendent at Canton expx>$ss h.1n:lselt with tar mo~e accuracy when ne said in the oo~e o£ a oonve:teation• 11Mt. R.obe:rteont 4by'., he k Ml"• Championl" Reuben Robertson•• outstanding accomplishments and his unfailing friendliness a& an individual have been long recognized, And will be long te~Plflbered owr a, broad area of our oountl7• IIis atl"'ng hW~ULrdtarl.anista and his contributions to the b&ttement o£ the economy and well•beina or the Cu-olinas and other parot.s ot th.e South brought blm the ~oopltion ot ~11m ot 'l'he South for ·1950.. The list of honors awatded h111l over the years is a very long one. He is, howver, extremelf modeet about ava.rds tor pel!".­aonal. achievement. He received an boaorary degree or Ooetor ot Set1eneeatrom North Carolina State College in 19J21 and an honorary degree ot Doctor ot tan fJ'Orll ~'lest.el"n Carolina COllege in 19.56s the 1957 I!Uman Relations Award civen by the Society tor the Advancettent of f1.anagementJ the 19.54 Con&$l"'Va­tion A~· of the Al!let"ican Forestry Association at Portland, Oftgons and h$ has held exeeu\iw and actnsory positions in :u.ey ~pc)J't.a.nt sta.te1 - oivic and national organizations. Of Reuoea and Hope Robel"t&on'e two sona, the olde$t, Reubon a. Robert.. son, Jr •, was preaid.ent or ChampiOn at the time or his death in 1960 t the youngest, ~. Logan T. Robarjrson• is ourrentl¥ a director of the company. Ot their two d.auih~ra, Lava Thomson Robertson d1eel at th.e age ot •ia in 19191 Rope Robertson (lb-s. Russel Lee Uorblrn) Uvea in Ash.eYille. !!!uben a. Bgberts,on• Jr,. ContinUing the Thomson t~ line or Champion executives, Reuben a. Robertson. Jr. was •leoted president ot the 00!!1p&n1 pon the ret1rem.ent or his £ather in t950. Born in A.shevUle, North Carolina, J'QM 27, 1906, he wae destined for a C~"Uer in the paper-mald.ng busine • • Reuben Jr. at.- W6 .. ) ?) tended the AshevUle School for Boys. He worked at the Carolina ·mill dvin& his teen-age summers, beginning, as he was fond of' e&plai.ning• as "to\U"th a•sutant ott1e0 boy in gene:r-al.•• It w&s about th1• t- that th.e Canton mill was reoo1.v1og a ai&eable quantity ot slabs and edgings of sp:ruoe tl'Om the PerlJ and CZ"'okett Lumber C®1pa.\V' 14 m1U at Blaok t"iounta.in. Before these s~abs could be used in me.kiDg pulp it was tl$0esaa.r;v to remove the bark with a hand tool called a draw $have, opera.ted in connection with a 11aav buck" of spEH)ial de1lgn• A.t one tirae Chantpion had: about 100 taenage-:o,. e llJ&ged in this work. 'rbey were f'amUia•rly known as the "ant Cl"ew." Reuben Jr., •• part ot his training in pulp maki.ng, served his apprenticeahip on the "ant Crew,• and emerged from. this eJq>erience, a.s his father ima observed• vith oon­siderably strengthened baok muscles. Att&r pa.duations trom. prepa.ra.to17 sohool in 1926• Reuben Jr, enrolled. at tale University, Sheffield Scientific School. and there received J~J,s. degree in chemical engi.Mering in 19,. Fresh trom the laborato17 and class .. rooms of tho University. the hu$ky graduate seised an opportunity to spend. tour months in Oe~ and other parts of Europe studying torestr,r onder the able guidanoe ot Dr, Carl A. Schenck, Upon hil return !rom Europe 1n the &\ltumn, Reuben Jr. was wll pxoepa.rad to enter upon his chosen oa.reer or paper ukin&• His first job with Champion was that ot a mill hand in the woodyard ot the Canton mUl. From the wood­: rar<t. •Young RGubent" atJ he was called by hit foremen, progreesedto the mUl.1 and eventually worked h:\.s way through almost eftry department ot the plant.. Nothing ia so rewarding as practical experience. and Young Rauben proti.ted by an abundance ot it at the CAnton ndll. It was alao his good .fortune to enjoy tor a few years the $t1mul&t1ng guid4noe of his grandfather, Peter Thouon. as well as that of' la.tGr presidents ot Chtu2t.piona his uncles. Alex- ) ) ) 8) ande:<" and lDgan Thontson., and of his father• Reuben Robertson. His teUow wotkert or those days still rem.&lJlber hi•· extraordi.na.ry display ot energy, lds d$f.Qminat1on to m.tlSter all the :p-.ooea:!tes of paper · n'ltilkins. and his tn~nd .. ly disposition that attracte4 all people to him, Ma~, ~oo, recall the Ford roadster in which he COOL"'IUted to and from AshevUle ...... uau.a.lly in a cloud of duat. The leuure or week enda wu often spent in his favorite Lake Logan oo'Wltry • where be camped and swaut and explored the timl»red ~:Uountains. He was still 1n his ba4heloJ:> 7f!'Ars SiR t9)4 when he .reoe1ved a prolllotion to that or assistant to the general manager of the Carolina operation. But the l3.ohelor years oa.me to a close on Da~mber 17, 19:381 when he manied Margaret :-~atkins of 'lla.rlest.on, South Carolina. !bw' a vice-president, Reuben •.11 ... was transferred to the Ohio Division at Ha.mUton W'ht:lre he was to diroo:t tbe 1netallat1on or ne:w oo•t control t7$tams. and to a.8s1st in peraonnel and organita.t.ion woPk. The young bride and groo111 moved to thoU' tirst. home 1n Glendalet where their fhtst ohlld1 Reuben III, was born. Peggy Robertson proved to be an ideal wii.'e tor an exeoutive. Be1ides dirooting the at:f'aira ot a household that aventu.a.ll1 included aix children--Reuben III, Da.MT. Peter, Mardi,. Louie& and OEJ~e-Peggy helped R!tu.bon ilnlooaaurably in his sooial and busineee lite. She shared hi$ problema, of'feril'li her talents as an 1ntell1• gent listener and couns.,lor, and graciously entertained an almost constant round ot dietinguished visitors. When the Unitod States bec&l1le involved 1n World War II, Reuben Jr. was COtllmissioned a captain in the f.tt.rl;rq Service Forcee in which he served ror two and a halt years. Separated trom the A'rDf3' as a Lieutenant Colonel in 194-5. he returned to Glampion, and 1n 1946 beo&rlle executive vice-president. In 1950 he was elected president and a nsemoor or the board ot d1reotora. Reuben Jr. remained president or the compaqy until his death 1n a trag1o 9) high.wq aooident. on Maroh 1 ;, 1960, except tor a two-year 1ntel"V&l, 19.5.5-195711 when he was granted leave ot absence for Government service. His s1gn1:f"1oant contributions to tho Hoover Comiss1on st~ of bls1- ness organization o£ the Defence Department led to his appointment that year as Deputy Secretary of Defenae. He served under Secretary Charles .... Wilson, with "t'W.l power to aot to'lf and in the name ot the Secretary ot Detense.tt Perhaps Reuben'• most important accomplishment aa Deputy Secretary of Defense 1/•/1 1 r"'s 1 \ £ "1"'-tJC.t ' ,-~,,,. came during the crucial deV\&lopn1ent stage of our guided lllissUep~. It was at. to his ability tor detailed organization and guidance that the de­velopment or the Atlas. Thor, Titan and jupiter m1ssllea • and other weapons that stand as our first line or defense, progressed at a rapt~ accelerated Peter a. Thomson had been an advocate ot dynamic leadership and dynamic growth in ~siness enterprise long before those descriptive phrasee were coined. Reuben B. Robertson, Jr. as president ot Champion oar.riod on. t.h.e tradition. of his founding g~andtather. Under his leadership Champion more than doubled its production and salee, and payrolls were in creased b7 the Addition or )1000 new employees. During his tenure or office ~ new pro­ducts were developed, a number of subsidiary unutaoturing operations we.re 4dded, and overseas markets were expanded. Reuben' a interests and attiliations wore diverse and many, During hia lifetime he received not a tew awards and special recognitions tor acco$pl1sh­ment. But the men at Champion. all down the line, remember him tor hit qualities aa a mant his boundless energy, his con.t'1denCI8 and enthusia m., his willingness to hear every side of a discussion, his remarkable ~e or,y and, above all, his daap respect for the rights ot oth ra. 10) ght J1 Tho son Dwight J. ~homaon. the son of Logan G. Tho on, follows the tr dition of the Tho on family line of executives, and is a pr sGnt ohai n of the board of Ch pion Papers Inc. H was born in 1915 at Conn ravUle, Indiana. ter completing ho prep& tory education at the vill chool tor ys ho enter d ale Univer ity Where e graduated with a o elor t Science degree in 19)8 Later in his oareer1 in 1951, he attended th Advanced gram at Harv-ard Gr duate School ot sine a Adm1 t ation. \han Dwight ~ twenty-thre he ante d t e empl y of Champion as a trainee, a. d in va ous dep of the mlll.s 1n all three Divui-ons. 1940 ho beca.me assistant coordinator of ooMpaey personnel. During rld far II he served as n officer in the executive office ot the Secre-t ry of the oklyn avy Yard, and la at t e val St& ion, Pearl rbor, wa11. After his sep r tion from the Navy • gbt res hi place ion managem nt and was named V1.oe•pl'1Js1dent in ch go of industrl.al rela. tion • 948 he vica-preaid nt in co nd of both industrial public rel tiona; and 1955 he asa d a d1t1o al dut aa a cutive as-aiatant to the president. rhree yoara a pl"e ident, peraonn l and p blic at ions. v1oe-pres1d nt, onvertin uct1 Group; a position or c. boa • In 1959 he was 1 1960 ht Tho on is a directo o ever ot er pa p ident of the p and aper ound tiOn of orth C ol h heat loorU. coucil or or in cout r ld. tor his ou • ecutiYe to the a past te University ~ ed the wor in t is - ) 11) !f::tl. Rt.~etsen Karl R. Bendetsen joined the Champion organi&a.t1on in 1952 as general consultant to management, and two years later was made manager or the Texas Division. Rising rapidly in company management, he 1148. elected Vi.ce-presi-. dent and general manager of the Pasadena operation 1n 195.51 and in 1957 was promoted to vioe-presidont in charge of operations tor Cnam.pion, Upon the death of Reuben 8, Robertson, Jr, 1n 1960, 'Mr. 'il!ndetsen was eleoted p!"$&1dent and a director of the company. He is the first executive, who ie not of the Thomson t~ line, to fill the presidential off1aa ot Champion Papers. Karl was born on October 11 • 1907, 1n the oi ty ot Aberdeen on the coast ot a.ahington, He graduated from Leland Stanford University in 1929, and r&oeived a degree 1n law from that university in 19)2. \'4hUe practicing law in ,.faahington and Oregon, he combined his legal. pursuits with proprietaey and managerial interests in logging, lumbering and mining. His tour ot duty with the A~ in ~rld War II included many positions ot importance. He served as a .lllUiber of tha Combined SWt, then occupied with planning the invasion of Normand7. Later he was rude Deputy Chief of Staff of the Forward Co~~unicat1ons Zona in Normandy, following which he was attached to the 12th A~ Group. \t the close of the war Karl returned to the practice ot law 1n San Franoiacoa but he was soon again involved in milit&r.r atfairs. During the critical period of the Darlin blockade b,y the Soviet Union, and 1n the in­itial phases of Armed Forces Unification in 1948, he tunctioned aa a special consultant on tru1nagement and as oting deputy to James Forreatal, the Firat Seer ta.ry of Defense. In Januar:r 1950, his llOlllination to the post of Aa­aist& nt Secretary of the Ar.rry by .Presid~nt Truman was oontirlued by the S9n- 12) ate; and in 1952 a wa made Under Secretary of the f....rr:q. From August 25,1950 to~ 23,1952. Karl servnd as Director General of the nation's principal railroads, which were at that time in A~ possession. control and-operation. ter the ret rement of General Joseph T. Mo rney in November 1951, he acted aa Chairman o:f t he .1ana.gem.ent Coim!littee ot the Secre .. tarf' of Def'enao and was alao a member of tha Defense Depart ont • s Comittee ot the Joint Secretaries on Atomic Energy. On leave !rom Champion in 1956, he accepted a position as Spacial As istant to the Seorotar,y of Defense for German Affairs. and suoce as£ully negotiated with the 1lest German OoY&rnment tor t . e adndnistrative support of our troops stationed there under the North Atlantic Treaty Organiu.tion. l-Jithin a few days of his return from the Gorman miasion, he was reoalled to Washington and was designated UnitJed States Speoial presentative to the epublio ot the Philippine and Special 8• sistant to the Secretary of Dalenee tor Philippine Affairs. s such he con .. duotad inter-governmental 'negotiAtion untU camber 19.56 with the Philippines Government concerning military bases h ld 1n Manila. Prior to l~aving his post at Champion's Texas Diviaion and co 1ng to the eolllpaey'a headquarter at Hamilton, K&rl Bendetsen ,. s honorid by the City ot Pasadena and its Rotary Club with a "Karl ndetsen D Y• Pasadena's mayor cited the Champion a ecut1ve 1s ttoutstanding contributions to his oountey and to the community." A ~ ot many aotivities and wide interests. Karl observes hims lt as a profess onal planner. Ie is .currently a director or the Texas lational nk, and a member of he Board of Governors or the University ot Houston, and of the • tional CounoU for Str am Improvement. ' l ndeteen w: a rried 1n 1947 to 1axine Bosworth of Dallas, Texas. They nave two ohUdrena son, Brookes, ard a daughter, Ama iArtha.

This 215 page document written in 1963 by Corydon Bell covers a wide range of topics relating to Champion Paper and Fibre Company. This document has been separated into five different chapters for easier reading: Chapter 1. Founder and the Enterprise ; Chapter 2. Corporate Image; Chapter 3. Champion and Forest Management; Chapter 4. Champion and Forest Management; Chapter 5. Executive Succession.

• Creator
  • Bell, Corydon, 1894-1980
• Format
  • Manuscripts (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1963
  • Date digitized: 2017-04-28
• Extent
  • Dimension: 11" x 8.5"
  • Pages: 215 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • Autobiography
  • Champion Fibre Company
  • Champion Paper and Fibre Company
  • Forest conservation
  • Industries
• Location
  • Haywood County (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • Corydon Bell Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_MSS85-18_01
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library