Shelby Cullom Davis
Encyclopedia
Shelby Cullom Davis was an American
investment banker, philanthropist, and former United States Ambassador to Switzerland
hailing from the state of New York
. He served as the American envoy in Bern under Presidents Richard Nixon
and Gerald Ford
from 1969 to 1975.
in 1930 and earned a master's degree at Columbia University
in 1931. He earned a doctorate
in political science at the Graduate Institute of International Studies
, Geneva
, in 1934. His dissertation was about military personnel in Africa (Reservoirs of men, a history of the black troops of French West Africa).
He became a member of the New York Stock Exchange
in 1941 and for many years was the managing partner of the firm bearing his name. He was its chairman at the time of his death. His son, Shelby, formed Davis Selected Advisers
in 1969. In the 1980s he made it to the Forbe's richest 400 Americans list.
, aged 85, following a brief illness. He also lived in Tarrytown, New York
. He was survived by his wife of 62 years, Kathryn Wasserman Davis
; two children and eight grandchildren.
(his alma mater) and also funded chairs at Wellesley College, and professorships of free enterprise at Wellesley and at the Cullom - Davis Library at Bradley University
. He also provided support to the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in NYC. His generous support of the Society of Colonial Wars is recognized in part through the Shelby Cullom Davis Lecture.
, the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation, at the time of his death. He was also affiliated with the Heritage Foundation
, The Sons and Daughters of the Mayflower, and The Society of the Cincinnati.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
investment banker, philanthropist, and former United States Ambassador to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
hailing from the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He served as the American envoy in Bern under Presidents Richard 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...
and Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
from 1969 to 1975.
Education
He graduated from Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1930 and earned a master's degree at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1931. He earned a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in political science at the Graduate Institute of International Studies
Graduate Institute of International Studies
The Graduate Institute of International Studies, best known as HEI , was founded in 1927 as one of the first institutions in the world dedicated to the study of international relations...
, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, in 1934. His dissertation was about military personnel in Africa (Reservoirs of men, a history of the black troops of French West Africa).
Thomas E. Dewey
He worked as a European correspondent for the CBS in Geneva and as an economist before joining the staff of Thomas E. Dewey, whom he advised during Dewey's presidential runs in 1940 and 1944. Under Mr. Dewey as Governor of New York, Davis served as First Deputy Superintendent of Insurance from 1944 to 1947.Business career
He headed Shelby Cullom Davis & Company, a firm specializing in insurance securities that he founded in 1947.He became a member of the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
in 1941 and for many years was the managing partner of the firm bearing his name. He was its chairman at the time of his death. His son, Shelby, formed Davis Selected Advisers
Davis Selected Advisers
Davis Selected Advisers is an independent investment firm based in Tucson, Arizona.The firm was established by Shelby Davis in 1969 whose father Shelby Cullom Davis was a well known investment adviser to major political figures, and who over a 50 year period had reportedly turned a $100,000...
in 1969. In the 1980s he made it to the Forbe's richest 400 Americans list.
Death
Davis died at his house in Hobe Sound, FloridaHobe Sound, Florida
Hobe Sound is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,376 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography and climate:...
, aged 85, following a brief illness. He also lived in Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
. He was survived by his wife of 62 years, Kathryn Wasserman Davis
Kathryn Wasserman Davis
Kathryn Wasserman Davis is an American philanthropist and the widow of businessman Shelby Cullom Davis, who was the United States Ambassador to Switzerland from 1969-74. Her husband died in 1994...
; two children and eight grandchildren.
Philanthropy
He provided significant financial support to Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(his alma mater) and also funded chairs at Wellesley College, and professorships of free enterprise at Wellesley and at the Cullom - Davis Library at Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
. He also provided support to the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in NYC. His generous support of the Society of Colonial Wars is recognized in part through the Shelby Cullom Davis Lecture.
Affiliations
Davis was chairman and treasurer of an eponymous, conservative think tankThink tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
, the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation, at the time of his death. He was also affiliated with the Heritage Foundation
Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, The Sons and Daughters of the Mayflower, and The Society of the Cincinnati.