Charles W. Robinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles W. Robinson
4th United States Deputy Secretary of State
In office April 9, 1976 – January 20, 1977
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Robert S. Ingersoll
Succeeded by	Warren Christopher
Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs
In office January 3, 1975 – April 9, 1976
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	George Wildman Ball
Succeeded by	William D. Rogers
Personal details
Born	Charles Wesley Robinson (1919-09-07)September 7, 1919 Long Beach, California
Died	May 20, 2014(2014-05-20) (aged 94) Santa Fe, New Mexico
Spouse	Tamara Lindovna ​ (m. 1957)​
Education	University of California, Berkeley Stanford Business School

Charles Wesley Robinson (born September 7, 1919 – died May 20, 2014) was an American businessman. He was very successful in mining and shipping. He also worked for the government as the United States Deputy Secretary of State. He led companies like CBTF Co. and M Ship Co. He was also on the board of Nike.

Charles Robinson's Early Life and Education

Charles Robinson was born in Long Beach, California. He grew up on a ranch in the Mojave Desert. In 1941, he earned a degree in international economics. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley.

After college, he joined the United States Naval Academy. He completed an engineering program in 1942. He then stayed on as an instructor for a year.

Serving in the Navy During World War II

Robinson served on the heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa. He spent almost two years on the Murmansk run. This was a dangerous route for ships during World War II. He was in charge of the main engine on his ship. This was during the D-Day landing in Normandy. His ship fought a German battery.

He also served in the Pacific Ocean. He was part of battles at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In February 1946, he left the Navy.

Business School and Early Career

After the Navy, Robinson went to Stanford University Business School. He finished his business degree quickly in May 1947. He died on May 20, 2014, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at age 94.

Key Moments in Charles Robinson's Career

Charles Robinson had a long and interesting career. He worked in many different fields. Here are some of the most important parts of his life.

From Navy Officer to Business Leader

• 1941–45: He served as an Engineering Officer in the US Navy.
• 1947–49: He worked at Golden State Dairy. He managed their factories in California. He even invented some things, like "Nucaroma." This was a spray that smelled like a new car!
• 1950: He worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company.
• 1951–52: He went to Panama for the Utah Construction Company. He helped set up a timber business there.

Innovations in Mining and Shipping

• 1952–74: He founded and led the Marcona Mining Company. This company started by mining iron ore in Peru. Robinson had many new ideas. He helped Marcona grow into the shipping industry.
• Designing the First Panamax Ship: To move iron ore to Japan, Robinson wanted bigger ships. In 1961, he helped design and build the first Panamax. This was the largest ship that could fit through the Panama Canal. It weighed 105,000 tons!
• New Ways to Transport Ore: He also helped create a "slurry system" called Marconaflo. This system moved iron ore in a liquid form. It made loading and unloading ships much easier. He also developed ships that could carry both oil and ore.
• Global Mining Projects: From 1950 to 1974, he worked on mining and steel projects worldwide. This included places like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Australia. He helped create Samarco in Brazil. This company used a pipeline to move iron ore. He also helped develop a port and steel mill in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

Working for the U.S. Government

• 1974: He was appointed as the Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs. This was during the Gerald Ford presidency. Newsweek Magazine called him a "master of statecraft."
• 1976: He became the United States Deputy Secretary of State. This was the second-highest position in the State Department. He worked with Henry Kissinger. He helped negotiate a grain deal between the US and the Soviet Union.

Later Career and New Technologies

• 1976–77: He worked at major Wall Street investment firms. These included Kuhn, Loeb & Co. and Blyth, Eastman Dillon & Co..
• 1979–87: He founded ETCO (Energy Transition Corporation). This company was based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• 1988–2014: He set up the DynaYacht Company (now CBTF Co.). He helped create a new design for yachts. This design used a special "canting ballast" and two foils. This technology won the "Boat of the Year Award" in 2001.
• 1998–2014: He developed the M-Ship Co. This company created the "M-Hull" concept. It was first designed to reduce waves in the canals of Venice, Italy. This technology was used on a US Military boat called the M80 Stiletto. It was also used on a small sailboat called the Wahoo. The Wahoo won an award in 2003.

Organizations Charles Robinson Supported

Charles Robinson was a member of many important groups. He also served on the boards of several companies and organizations.

• Trilateral Commission (he was one of the first members)
• Brookings Institution
• Northrop Corporation
• Pan American Airways
• Nike, Inc. (He was on the board from 1977 until 2004. He also led their Finance Committee.)
• Mills College (he was a trustee)

Charles Robinson's Family Life

Charles Robinson married Mara (Lindovna) Robinson in 1957. Mara was a founder of the Opera-West Company in San Francisco. She also worked to break down racial barriers in the 1960s. She served on many boards, including the San Francisco Opera Company. They had three daughters: Heather, Lisa, and Wendy.

Famous Quotes from Charles Robinson

Charles Robinson was known for his unique way of thinking. Here are some things he said:

• “If I knew ahead of time, it wouldn’t be any fun”—He said this when asked what he hoped to achieve as Under-Secretary of State.
• “Management by self-induced crisis”—This was how he described his own business style.
• "No one who has any self-doubts would ever wear a bow-tie"—He said this in a New York Times article about bow ties. Charles Robinson always wore a bow tie.