Elmer Holmes Bobst
Encyclopedia
Elmer Holmes Bobst was an American businessman and philanthropist who worked in the pharmaceutical industry.
. He aspired to become a doctor, but instead, he taught himself pharmacology
. After his wife Ethel composed his interview letter, he became manager and treasurer of the Hoffman-LaRoche Chemical Works by 1920.
In 1928, Hoffman-LaRoche became Roche-Nutley, and when Bobst retired from there in 1944, he was one of the nation's highest paid corporate executives. In 1945 he took charge of the ailing William Warner Company (later Warner-Lambert) and he remained board chairman.
Bobst had close connections to President Dwight Eisenhower, but was also a close friend of President Richard Nixon
, helping guide his career and contributing generously to their campaigns. The Nixons joined Bobst and his 2 granddaughters Anne and Stephanie, for many visits to Spring Lake, NJ. In 1968, Bobst became a White House advisor on health issues. Philanthropic pursuits were also of tremendous importance, particularly cancer research and education.
In April 1961 Bobst married Mamdouha As-Sayyid, a Lebanese woman decades his junior, working at the United Nations. In 1988 Mamdouha Bobst donated the records and personal effects of her late husband, Elmer Holmes Bobst to the Fales Library
at NYU. Mamdouha Bobst has been the subject of much controversy as to large donations to relatively unknown Islamic charities.
Anne Bobst-Highley alleged in 1991 that Elmer Holmes Bobst raped both her and her sister Stephanie starting when they were approximately four years old. Her suit to have a clause in her settlement with the estate and his second wife Mamdouha As-Sayyid agreeing to never to say anything publicly that would degrade his memory invalidated and collect damages was thrown out citing the validity of the original agreement. The lawsuit, filed in October 1992, followed one brought the previous year in New Jersey by her niece and Bobst's great-granddaughter, Sharon Haymes.
Elmer Holmes Bobst was also known as a notorious anti-Semite, writing in a letter to Nixon, “Jews have troubled the world from the very beginning. If this beloved country of ours ever falls apart, the blame rightly should be attributed to the malicious action of Jews in complete control of our communications.”
Elmer H. Bobst gifted eleven million dollars towards the completion and opening of NYU's Bobst Library. Opened on September 12, 1973, Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, often referred to as Bobst Library, is the main library and anchor building at New York University
. Located at the Southeast corner of Washington Square Park
, it is named after its benefactor. Bobst was a long time trustee at NYU.
Early life and career
He was born in Clear Spring, MarylandClear Spring, Maryland
Clear Spring is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 461 as of the 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates.-Geography:Clear Spring is located at ....
. He aspired to become a doctor, but instead, he taught himself pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
. After his wife Ethel composed his interview letter, he became manager and treasurer of the Hoffman-LaRoche Chemical Works by 1920.
In 1928, Hoffman-LaRoche became Roche-Nutley, and when Bobst retired from there in 1944, he was one of the nation's highest paid corporate executives. In 1945 he took charge of the ailing William Warner Company (later Warner-Lambert) and he remained board chairman.
Bobst had close connections to President Dwight Eisenhower, but was also a close friend of President 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...
, helping guide his career and contributing generously to their campaigns. The Nixons joined Bobst and his 2 granddaughters Anne and Stephanie, for many visits to Spring Lake, NJ. In 1968, Bobst became a White House advisor on health issues. Philanthropic pursuits were also of tremendous importance, particularly cancer research and education.
Legacy
He had one son Elmer Walton Bobst d. 1964 Geneva, CH with his wife of 50 years, Ethel Rose Bobst d. 1954 Nassau, The Bahamas. E. Walton Bobst, former president of Bobst Pharmaceutical had 2 grand-daughters, Anne Bobst-Highley and Stephanie Bobst Haymes Vanden Heuvel. Anne is an activist for the Rights of The Multiply Handicapped, and Stephanie was married to the son of crooner Dick Haymes.In April 1961 Bobst married Mamdouha As-Sayyid, a Lebanese woman decades his junior, working at the United Nations. In 1988 Mamdouha Bobst donated the records and personal effects of her late husband, Elmer Holmes Bobst to the Fales Library
Fales Library
New York University's Fales Library and Special Collections is located on the third floor of the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at 70 Washington Square South between LaGuardia Place and the Schwartz Plaza, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It houses nearly 200,000...
at NYU. Mamdouha Bobst has been the subject of much controversy as to large donations to relatively unknown Islamic charities.
Anne Bobst-Highley alleged in 1991 that Elmer Holmes Bobst raped both her and her sister Stephanie starting when they were approximately four years old. Her suit to have a clause in her settlement with the estate and his second wife Mamdouha As-Sayyid agreeing to never to say anything publicly that would degrade his memory invalidated and collect damages was thrown out citing the validity of the original agreement. The lawsuit, filed in October 1992, followed one brought the previous year in New Jersey by her niece and Bobst's great-granddaughter, Sharon Haymes.
Elmer Holmes Bobst was also known as a notorious anti-Semite, writing in a letter to Nixon, “Jews have troubled the world from the very beginning. If this beloved country of ours ever falls apart, the blame rightly should be attributed to the malicious action of Jews in complete control of our communications.”
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. Located at the Southeast corner of Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks. At 9.75 acres , it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity...
, it is named after its benefactor. Bobst was a long time trustee at NYU.