Robert B. Pamplin

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For other uses, see Robert B. Pamplin, Jr..

Robert Boisseau Pamplin (b. November 25, 1911) was born on a small family farm in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. He is the son of Pauline Beville and John Robert Pamplin. He attended Midway High School in Dinwiddie County. In the Fall of 1929 he enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI). While at VPI, he was enrolled in the Corps of Cadets. He graduated from VPI with a B.S. degree in Business Administration in 1933. He spent one year in graduate school at Northwestern University studying Business Administration. He married Mary Katherine Reese on June 15, 1940 in Augusta, Georgia. He has one son, Robert B. Pamplin, Jr, born on September 3, 1941 in Augusta, Georgia.

In 1934, Robert B. Pamplin joined Georgia Hardwood in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was one of only five employees. In 1946 Georgia Hardwood was renamed Georgia-Pacific. He successively worked as accountant, secretary and treasurer, financial vice president, and president of Georgia-Pacific. Owen Robertson Cheatham, founder of Georgia-Pacific, asked him to move West with the company. He had a personal conflict working with Lewis A. Pick (former Army Lt General and VPI alumni) at Georgia-Pacific and terminated his employment on July 1, 1955. After taking time off and traveling in Canada, he decided to return to Georgia-Pacific and became President of the company in 1957 until his retirement in 1976.

Robert B. Pamplin took Georgia Pacific through a period of tremendous growth. When he started as President in 1957, the annual sales were $121 million and profits were $7.4 million. By the time of his retirement, Georgia Pacific had sales of $3 billion and profits of $215 million.

He created the R. B. Pamplin Corporation in 1957 in Portland, Oregon.

He contributed greatly to his alma mater, VPI. Pamplin Hall at VPI was named in his honor in 1969 and the Pamplin College of Business Administration was named for him in 1988.

[edit] Honors

Robert B. Pamplin, Sr. received Northwestern University's Merit Award in 1966.
The indoor athletic facility at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon was named the Pamplin Sports Center in 1968.
Served on the Board of Trustees of Virginia Polytechnic Institute from 1971 to 1979.
Awarded the Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Portland in 1972.
Awarded the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1973.
Named the Virginian of the Year by the Virginia Press Association in 1976.