Dick Sabot
Encyclopedia
Richard "Dick" Sabot was an economist
, scholar, farmer
, and Internet
pioneer who was co-founder of Tripod.com
, one of the first and most successful dot-coms
, in 1992. (It was subsequently sold to Lycos
in 1998) He was also a co-founder of Eziba (later acquired by Overstock.com
), an Internet venture which sold handcrafted goods from artisans around the world. He was a professor emeritus of economics at Williams College
, and previously taught at Yale University
, Oxford University, and Columbia University
. He was a leading figure in building the Internet economy of Williamstown, Massachusetts
, known as "Silicon Village" during the dot-com era.
He was born in New York City
and attended college at the University of Pennsylvania
and completed his doctorate at Oxford University. He subsequently worked for ten years at the World Bank
and was also a senior advisor to the Inter-American Development Bank
and International Food Policy Research Institute
. He wrote or edited a dozen books on development economics and was co-author of several influential papers in the field, including The East Asian Miracle: Economic Growth and Public Policy.
He served on the board of directors of several companies including Lycos
, Geekcorps
, and the International Executive Service Corps
. He was an active member of the executive board of the Center for Global Development
; an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College
, Oxford University (UK); and a member of the Boards of Overseers of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania
and of Colby College
.
At the time of his death, Sabot was launching a new business, Cricket Creek Farm, focused on producing organic milk and specialty cheeses. He died in 2005, aged 61, of a heart attack near his home in Williamstown, Massachusetts
, and was survived by his wife, Jude Sabot and their four children.
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, scholar, farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
pioneer who was co-founder of Tripod.com
Tripod.com
Tripod.com is a web hosting service owned by Lycos. Originally aiming its services to college students and young adults, it was one of several sites trying to build online communities during the dot-com bubble...
, one of the first and most successful dot-coms
Dot-com company
A dot-com company, or simply a dot-com , is a company that does most of its business on the Internet, usually through a website that uses the popular top-level domain, ".com" .While the term can refer to present-day companies, it is also used specifically to refer to companies with...
, in 1992. (It was subsequently sold to Lycos
Lycos
Lycos, Inc. is a search engine and web portal established in 1994. Lycos also encompasses a network of email, webhosting, social networking, and entertainment websites.-Corporate history:...
in 1998) He was also a co-founder of Eziba (later acquired by Overstock.com
Overstock.com
Overstock.com , also known by its shortcut, O.co, is an online retailer headquartered in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, near Salt Lake City. Founded in 1997 by Robert Brazell, under the name D2: Discounts Direct, it was a pioneering online seller of surplus merchandise which, upon its failure in 1999,...
), an Internet venture which sold handcrafted goods from artisans around the world. He was a professor emeritus of economics at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, and previously taught at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Oxford University, and 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...
. He was a leading figure in building the Internet economy of Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
, known as "Silicon Village" during the dot-com era.
He was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and attended college at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and completed his doctorate at Oxford University. He subsequently worked for ten years at the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and was also a senior advisor to the Inter-American Development Bank
Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean...
and International Food Policy Research Institute
International Food Policy Research Institute
The International Food Policy Research Institute is an international agricultural research center founded in the early 1970s to improve the understanding of national agricultural and food policies to promote the adoption of innovations in agricultural technology...
. He wrote or edited a dozen books on development economics and was co-author of several influential papers in the field, including The East Asian Miracle: Economic Growth and Public Policy.
He served on the board of directors of several companies including Lycos
Lycos
Lycos, Inc. is a search engine and web portal established in 1994. Lycos also encompasses a network of email, webhosting, social networking, and entertainment websites.-Corporate history:...
, Geekcorps
Geekcorps
Geekcorps is a non-profit organization that sends people with technical skills to developing countries to assist in computer infrastructure development...
, and the International Executive Service Corps
International Executive Service Corps
International Executive Service Corps is an American private international economic development not-for-profit organization. Its head office is located in Washington, D.C. Geekcorps is a division of IESC. IESC was founded in 1964 by David Rockefeller, States M. Mead III, and other prominent...
. He was an active member of the executive board of the Center for Global Development
Center for Global Development
The Center for Global Development is a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on international development. It was founded in November 2001 by former senior U.S. official Edward W. Scott, director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, C. Fred Bergsten, and...
; an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
, Oxford University (UK); and a member of the Boards of Overseers of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and of Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
.
At the time of his death, Sabot was launching a new business, Cricket Creek Farm, focused on producing organic milk and specialty cheeses. He died in 2005, aged 61, of a heart attack near his home in Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
, and was survived by his wife, Jude Sabot and their four children.