Holmes Tuttle
Encyclopedia
Holmes Tuttle was a successful California businessman and autodealer, and headed President Ronald Reagan
's unofficial "Kitchen Cabinet
".
, Oklahoma
(named for his father). He started his automotive career by going to work at the Ford Parts facility in Oklahoma City in 1923 at the age of 17. Although Ford had a policy of not hiring anyone under the age of 21, Tuttle, who stood well over 6 feet, was referred by a banker who knew Tuttles' father. He traveled west in 1926, to Los Angeles
, aboard a freight train, until he and his friend , who had talked him into moving to California, were caught by a train agent and thrown off.They convinced a well to do lady, whose driver had broken his leg, to let them drive her to California. He was employed as a parts manager at a Ford dealership. He opened his own dealership in 1945, which became known as Holmes Tuttle, Inc. The business was a resounding success and evolved into fourteen dealerships in California and Arizona.One of his first dealerships was located in Los Angeles. In the late 1940s Holmes was offered the National distributorship for a European manufacturer. Tuttle turn it down. He had just lost nearly a million dollars as the distributor of the English Ford and stated that "...if our returning GIs wouldn't buy a car built by our English allies, then they certainly won't buy a car built in Germany called a Volkswagen." In the mid 1950s Ford Motor Co., asked Mr. Tuttle to talk to a dealer in Tucson, AZ who was ill and needed to sell his Ford store.After meeting for about 15 minutes Holmes Tuttle agreed to buy Monte Mansfield Ford. Today, over 50 years later this dealership is still Holmes Tuttle Ford.
. He later campaigned for Richard Nixon
, Barry Goldwater
, and Gerald Ford
as well. According to his son, Robert Tuttle, Holmes was a delegate to every Republican National Convention
from 1960 to 1984.
Tuttle led a group of California businessmen as they encouraged movie actor Ronald Reagan to run for Governor of California
in 1966. His reasoning was, "Would you rather vote for a candidate who has spent his life in politics, has never really worked for a living, or created jobs in the private sector while clawing his way to the top and who is beholden to many other politicians for his success in Washington? Or would you rather have a candidate who is backed by very successful capitalists who have created dozens of companies and tens of thousands of jobs, people who know what it takes to attain success within our system?"
Upon Reagan's election, Tuttle assisted in screening people for cabinet positions. He later worked on Reagan's 1976 and 1980 presidential campaigns. When Reagan was sworn in as president in 1981, Tuttle and fellow businessman Justin Dart "sat down with the President and gave our impression of the budget. We keep saying the same thing: cut, cut and then cut some more."
His grandnephew is Jim Click, one of the largest auto dealers in southern Arizona.
, aged 83 in 1989. According to his son, Robert, Tuttle died of complications stemming from a stroke he suffered several weeks prior.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's unofficial "Kitchen Cabinet
Kitchen Cabinet
The Kitchen Cabinet was a term used by political opponents of President of the United States Andrew Jackson to describe the collection of unofficial advisers he consulted in parallel to the United States Cabinet following his purge of the cabinet at the end of the Eaton affair and his break with...
".
Early life and career
Tuttle was born in TuttleTuttle, Oklahoma
Tuttle is a city in Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,294 at the 2000 census.Tuttle is a largely agricultural community with a focus on wheat, cotton, corn, alfalfa hay, Bermuda grass hay, and cattle. Nearby Braum's Dairy, the largest farm in the area, is located just...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(named for his father). He started his automotive career by going to work at the Ford Parts facility in Oklahoma City in 1923 at the age of 17. Although Ford had a policy of not hiring anyone under the age of 21, Tuttle, who stood well over 6 feet, was referred by a banker who knew Tuttles' father. He traveled west in 1926, to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, aboard a freight train, until he and his friend , who had talked him into moving to California, were caught by a train agent and thrown off.They convinced a well to do lady, whose driver had broken his leg, to let them drive her to California. He was employed as a parts manager at a Ford dealership. He opened his own dealership in 1945, which became known as Holmes Tuttle, Inc. The business was a resounding success and evolved into fourteen dealerships in California and Arizona.One of his first dealerships was located in Los Angeles. In the late 1940s Holmes was offered the National distributorship for a European manufacturer. Tuttle turn it down. He had just lost nearly a million dollars as the distributor of the English Ford and stated that "...if our returning GIs wouldn't buy a car built by our English allies, then they certainly won't buy a car built in Germany called a Volkswagen." In the mid 1950s Ford Motor Co., asked Mr. Tuttle to talk to a dealer in Tucson, AZ who was ill and needed to sell his Ford store.After meeting for about 15 minutes Holmes Tuttle agreed to buy Monte Mansfield Ford. Today, over 50 years later this dealership is still Holmes Tuttle Ford.
Political involvement
Though he never held public office, Tuttle was very involved in political affairs of the times. His political involvement began in 1952, when he campaigned for General Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
. He later campaigned for 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...
, Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
, 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...
as well. According to his son, Robert Tuttle, Holmes was a delegate to every Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
from 1960 to 1984.
Tuttle led a group of California businessmen as they encouraged movie actor Ronald Reagan to run for Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
in 1966. His reasoning was, "Would you rather vote for a candidate who has spent his life in politics, has never really worked for a living, or created jobs in the private sector while clawing his way to the top and who is beholden to many other politicians for his success in Washington? Or would you rather have a candidate who is backed by very successful capitalists who have created dozens of companies and tens of thousands of jobs, people who know what it takes to attain success within our system?"
Upon Reagan's election, Tuttle assisted in screening people for cabinet positions. He later worked on Reagan's 1976 and 1980 presidential campaigns. When Reagan was sworn in as president in 1981, Tuttle and fellow businessman Justin Dart "sat down with the President and gave our impression of the budget. We keep saying the same thing: cut, cut and then cut some more."
Family
His son is likely former U.S. ambassador Robert Holmes Tuttle.His grandnephew is Jim Click, one of the largest auto dealers in southern Arizona.
Death
Tuttle died at Cottage Hospital in Montecito, CaliforniaMontecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
, aged 83 in 1989. According to his son, Robert, Tuttle died of complications stemming from a stroke he suffered several weeks prior.