Ralph Rogers
Encyclopedia
Ralph Burton Rogers was an American
industrialist, philanthropist
and PBS
executive, called the "Founding Father of the Public Broadcasting Service."
. As a businessman, Rogers worked for or ran many industrial firms, including Cummins
Diesel Engine and Indian Motorcycles.
In 1950, he started work with Texas Industries
in Dallas and by 1951 he was chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of this company. It became a Fortune 500 company with many interests but remains focused on cement production.
Rogers became civicly and politically active in the 1960s. In 1972, he is credited with saving the Public Broadcasting Service
during the Nixon
Administration. He later co-founded the Children's Television Workshop
, and became a significant philanthropist, primarily in the Dallas area.
He died on November 4, 1997.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
industrialist, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
executive, called the "Founding Father of the Public Broadcasting Service."
Biography
He was born on November 30, 1909 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was educated at Northeastern UniversityNortheastern University, Boston
Northeastern University , is a private, secular, coeducational research university in Boston, Massachusetts. Northeastern has eight colleges and offers undergraduate majors in 65 departments...
. As a businessman, Rogers worked for or ran many industrial firms, including Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
Diesel Engine and Indian Motorcycles.
In 1950, he started work with Texas Industries
Texas Industries
TXI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA. It produces construction materials, primarily cement, aggregates, and concrete.Its Midlothian plant on the south side of Midlothian, Texas is about south of downtown Dallas...
in Dallas and by 1951 he was chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of this company. It became a Fortune 500 company with many interests but remains focused on cement production.
Rogers became civicly and politically active in the 1960s. In 1972, he is credited with saving the Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
during the Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
Administration. He later co-founded the Children's Television Workshop
Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
, and became a significant philanthropist, primarily in the Dallas area.
He died on November 4, 1997.