Edmund Wattis Littlefield
Encyclopedia
Edmund Wattis Littlefield (1914–2001) was a prominent California
businessman, philanthropist, and member of the Bohemian Club
.
, one of the founders of Utah Construction Company
. Littlefield started his business career as a water boy for the Utah Construction Company. He received an undergraduate degree in 1936 and an MBA in 1938 from Stanford University
. During World War II he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and an analyst on petroleum supplies for the war effort.
In 1951, Littlefield return to Utah Construction Company as the vice president of finance. He became the general manager and principal officer of Utah Construction Company in 1958. Under his leadership, Utah Construction Company became the most profitable mining and land development company in the United States in the 1960s, and in 1976 merged with GE
in the largest corporate merger at that time. The merger and subsequent appreciation of GE
stock gave Littlefield ranking on the Forbes 400
list of weathiest Americans with a net worth of $2.3 billion in 2001.
Littlefield served on the boards of some of the largest corporations in America, including GE
, Bechtel
Investment, Chrysler
, Del Monte, Hewlett-Packard
and Wells Fargo Bank.
As a philanthropist
, Littlefield donated some money to help build the Edmund W. Littlefield Center, which houses the Stanford
Business School faculty and classrooms.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
businessman, philanthropist, and member of the Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
.
Biography
Littlefield was the grandson of Edmund Orson Wattis, JrEdmund Orson Wattis, Jr
Edmund Orson Wattis, Junior , was oldest of the Wattis Brothers and founders of the Utah Construction Company....
, one of the founders of Utah Construction Company
Utah Construction Company
The Utah Construction Company was a construction company founded by Edmund Orson Wattis, Jr, Warren L. Wattis and William. H. Wattis in 1900.-History:...
. Littlefield started his business career as a water boy for the Utah Construction Company. He received an undergraduate degree in 1936 and an MBA in 1938 from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. During World War II he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and an analyst on petroleum supplies for the war effort.
In 1951, Littlefield return to Utah Construction Company as the vice president of finance. He became the general manager and principal officer of Utah Construction Company in 1958. Under his leadership, Utah Construction Company became the most profitable mining and land development company in the United States in the 1960s, and in 1976 merged with GE
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
in the largest corporate merger at that time. The merger and subsequent appreciation of GE
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
stock gave Littlefield ranking on the Forbes 400
Forbes 400
The Forbes 400 or 400 Richest Americans is a list published by Forbes Magazine magazine of the wealthiest 400 Americans, ranked by net worth. The list is published annually in September, and 2010 marks the 29th issue. The 400 was started by Malcom Forbes in 1982 and treats those in the list like...
list of weathiest Americans with a net worth of $2.3 billion in 2001.
Littlefield served on the boards of some of the largest corporations in America, including GE
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
, Bechtel
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...
Investment, Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, Del Monte, Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
and Wells Fargo Bank.
As a 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...
, Littlefield donated some money to help build the Edmund W. Littlefield Center, which houses the Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Business School faculty and classrooms.