Richard Beverland Sellars (September 9, 1915 – June 25, 2010) was an American business executive who served as chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson as part of 40 years with the healthcare product firm. Sellars played a pivotal role in keeping the company's headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and worked to rebuild that city's downtown area.
In 1939, Johnson & Johnson hired Sellars as a salesman in its Ortho Pharmaceutical business unit. He worked his way up and became Ortho's vice president by 1948. He was shifted to J&J's Ethicon Inc. unit and became its president in December 1949, succeeding Philip B. Hofmann.[3] In April 1970, he became president of Johnson & Johnson Worldwide.[4] He became Johnson & Johnson's chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1973, becoming the second person from outside the Johnson family to lead the firm.[1]
Sellars convinced the firm's board to remain in the urban confines of New Brunswick, rather than move to the suburbs, and worked as part of the New Brunswick Development Corporation to help revitalize the city. He helped bring in I. M. Pei to redesign New Brunswick's downtown area. With headquarters in New Brunswick, he felt the firm had an obligation to the city and "the survival of our country depends on the survival of its cities, so we'd all better get involved in cleaning them up."[1]
J&J announced that Sellars would step down as CEO as of November 1, 1976, and be replaced by James E. Burke.[5] After stepping down as CEO, he served on the board's finance committee until 1979. From 1981 to 1996, he served as a trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care in the United States.[1] He worked closely with Robert Wood Johnson II, who established the foundation, in shaping its goals and objectives.[6]
Sellars died at age 94 at his home in Osterville, Massachusetts, on June 25, 2010. He was survived by his wife, the former Doris Sophia Johnson (no relation to the company's founders), and two daughters, two sons, 9 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.[1] He and his wife had lived in Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey.[4]
Referencesedit
^ abcdeAbelson, Reed. "Richard B. Sellars, Former Chief of Johnson & Johnson, Dies at 94", The New York Times, June 26, 2010.
^Staff. "Ethicon Sutures Names Sellars", The New York Times, December 5, 1949. Accessed June 27, 2010.
^ abBender, Marylin. "Blacks Snubbed in Business; Blacks Hit Job Changes: Business Johnson & Johnson Fills Position", The New York Times, April 19, 1970. Accessed June 27, 2010.
^Staff. "Johnson & Johnson Names James E. Burke Chairman, Top Officer", The Wall Street Journal, October 5, 1976. Accessed June 27, 2010.
^Staff. "Richard B. Sellars, Former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, Dies at 94", PR Newswire, June 25, 2010. Accessed June 27, 2010.
May 01, 2024
richard, sellars, richard, beverland, sellars, september, 1915, june, 2010, american, business, executive, served, chairman, johnson, johnson, part, years, with, healthcare, product, firm, sellars, played, pivotal, role, keeping, company, headquarters, brunswi. Richard Beverland Sellars September 9 1915 June 25 2010 was an American business executive who served as chairman and CEO of Johnson amp Johnson as part of 40 years with the healthcare product firm Sellars played a pivotal role in keeping the company s headquarters in New Brunswick New Jersey and worked to rebuild that city s downtown area Richard B SellarsBorn 1915 09 09 September 9 1915Worcester Massachusetts U S DiedJune 25 2010 2010 06 25 aged 94 Osterville Massachusetts U S NationalityAmericanOccupation s Businessman philanthropistKnown forChairman and CEO of Johnson amp Johnson Born on September 9 1915 Sellars grew up in Worcester Massachusetts He attended American International College and Maryville College but did not graduate from either school 1 2 In 1939 Johnson amp Johnson hired Sellars as a salesman in its Ortho Pharmaceutical business unit He worked his way up and became Ortho s vice president by 1948 He was shifted to J amp J s Ethicon Inc unit and became its president in December 1949 succeeding Philip B Hofmann 3 In April 1970 he became president of Johnson amp Johnson Worldwide 4 He became Johnson amp Johnson s chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1973 becoming the second person from outside the Johnson family to lead the firm 1 Sellars convinced the firm s board to remain in the urban confines of New Brunswick rather than move to the suburbs and worked as part of the New Brunswick Development Corporation to help revitalize the city He helped bring in I M Pei to redesign New Brunswick s downtown area With headquarters in New Brunswick he felt the firm had an obligation to the city and the survival of our country depends on the survival of its cities so we d all better get involved in cleaning them up 1 J amp J announced that Sellars would step down as CEO as of November 1 1976 and be replaced by James E Burke 5 After stepping down as CEO he served on the board s finance committee until 1979 From 1981 to 1996 he served as a trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation the largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care in the United States 1 He worked closely with Robert Wood Johnson II who established the foundation in shaping its goals and objectives 6 Sellars died at age 94 at his home in Osterville Massachusetts on June 25 2010 He was survived by his wife the former Doris Sophia Johnson no relation to the company s founders and two daughters two sons 9 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren 1 He and his wife had lived in Peapack Gladstone New Jersey 4 References edit a b c d e Abelson Reed Richard B Sellars Former Chief of Johnson amp Johnson Dies at 94 The New York Times June 26 2010 via Associated Press Former J amp J Chairman CEO Sellars dies at age 94 Bloomberg Businessweek June 25 2010 Accessed June 27 2010 Staff Ethicon Sutures Names Sellars The New York Times December 5 1949 Accessed June 27 2010 a b Bender Marylin Blacks Snubbed in Business Blacks Hit Job Changes Business Johnson amp Johnson Fills Position The New York Times April 19 1970 Accessed June 27 2010 Staff Johnson amp Johnson Names James E Burke Chairman Top Officer The Wall Street Journal October 5 1976 Accessed June 27 2010 Staff Richard B Sellars Former Chairman and CEO of Johnson amp Johnson Dies at 94 PR Newswire June 25 2010 Accessed June 27 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard B Sellars amp oldid 1185437751, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
