Robert Wood Johnson II
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- For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation).
Robert Wood Johnson II (April 4, 1893 – January 30, 1968) was a U.S. businessman. He was the president of Johnson and Johnson Corporation 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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[edit] Early Career
Robert Wood Johnson II was born on April 4, 1893 in New Brunswick, New Jersey to the upper-class family of Robert and Evangeline Johnson. When he was sixteen, his father, Robert Wood Johnson I, died leaving him an estate of $2,000,000.
At the time Johnson's father died, he was attending Rutgers Prep and he would Garneted during his eighteenth year. During that time young Johnson became known as the town “Playboy” however after a while he attended the military division at Rutgers Prep and learned to be deplane.
Johnson wanted to go and work at the family company, however his mother wanted him attend college. So, Uncle Jim, who was then running J&J, proposed that Johnson should go to college and work part-time at the company.
However, because of his age, he was unable to run the company. Because his uncles despised his father, he would end up having to rise through the ranks as a non-family employee would have to do. When he gained control of the company at the end of the Depression, he would expand it into a global company.
[edit] World War II
In World War II, Johnson became a brigadier general. Also during the war Johnson & Johnson Corporation would be a major supplier for combat first aid kits and other military supplies. In 1941 Johnson started the Ethicon subsidiary.
[edit] End of era
His son, Robert Wood Johnson III, was the president of Johnson and Johnson Corporation from 1963 to 1965. In 1964 there was a falling out, and Robert Wood Johnson II, as chairman, fired his son. 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.
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- Lawrence G. Foster; Robert Wood Johnson: The Gentleman Rebel
- New York Times; October 19, 1916, Thursday; Miss E.D. Ross a Bride. Weds Robert Wood Johnson at Her Home.
- New York Times; January 31, 1968, Wednesday; Robert Wood Johnson, 74, Dies; Chairman of Johnson & Johnson; Founder's Son Led Company Until 1963. No. 2 Man on War Production Board.
| Preceded by James Wood Johnson |
President of Johnson and Johnson Corporation 1910-1961 |
Succeeded by Robert Wood Johnson III |
| Johnson & Johnson | |
|---|---|
| William C. Weldon, Chairman & CEO,Robert J. Darretta, Jr., Vice Chairman & CFO, | |
| Past CEOs and Presidents: Robert Wood Johnson I • James Wood Johnson • Robert Wood Johnson II • Robert Wood Johnson III • Philip B. Hofmann • Richard B. Sellars • James E. Burke • Ralph S. Larsen | |
| Selected Subsidiaries | |
| ALZA Corporation • Cilag • DePuy, Inc. • Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. • Ethicon, Inc. • Independence Technology, LLC • Janssen Pharmaceutica • McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals • Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical • Ortho-Neutrogena • Penaten • Tibotec | |
| Selected Brands | |
| Acuvue • Aveeno • Band-Aid • Carefree • Clean & Clear • Johnson's Baby • K-Y • Neutrogena • Rembrandt • Stayfree • Tylenol | |
Annual Revenue: $10.411 billion USD (FY 2005) | Employees: 116,200 | Stock Symbol: NYSE: JNJ | Website: www.jnj.com |
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