Stephen Bechtel Jr.

Stephen Davison Bechtel Jr. (May 10, 1925 – March 15, 2021) was an American businessman, civil engineer, and co-owner of the Bechtel Corporation. He was the son of Stephen Davison Bechtel Sr. and grandson of Warren A. Bechtel, who founded the company. Bechtel Jr. helped grow the company’s work around the world.

During his time leading the company, important projects included building King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia, and oil platforms in the North Sea. The company also built liquefied natural gas plants in Algeria, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Bechtel earned a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He also served on the boards of big companies like General Motors and International Business Machines. When he passed away, his wealth was close to US$3 billion, according to Forbes.

Early life and education

Stephen Bechtel Jr. was born on May 10, 1925, in Oakland, California. He was the son of Laura A. Peart and Stephen Bechtel Sr., and the grandson of Warren A. Bechtel, who started the Bechtel Corporation. During high school, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve and later studied engineering at the University of Colorado. He finished his studies at Purdue University, earning a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1946. He also got a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1948. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Mead Hogan, who went to school in Berkeley.

Career

Stephen Bechtel Jr. joined the family business, Bechtel Corporation, in 1948. He became president in 1960 and chairman in 1969, leading the company for 30 years until 1990. Under his leadership, Bechtel grew greatly, working on big projects like the Hoover Dam, the Bay Area Rapid Transit, the Channel Tunnel between France and the United Kingdom, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia. The company also helped build oil platforms in the North Sea and liquefied natural gas plants in several countries.

After leaving Bechtel, Stephen led the real estate company Fremont Group, which invested early in Starbucks Corporation. He also served on the boards of General Motors and International Business Machines.

Political appointments

Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Bechtel to the President's Committee on Urban Housing. Richard Nixon named him to several important councils, and Gerald Ford asked him to serve on a committee about labor and management.

Boy Scouts

Bechtel was an Eagle Scout and received special awards from the Boy Scouts of America. He donated $50 million to help create a new scout camp near Beckley, West Virginia, named The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.

Philanthropy

Bechtel gave money to many causes, including the environment, education, and the arts. His foundation supported groups in the San Francisco Bay area and beyond, helping places like the Presidio of San Francisco, Berkeley's International House, and the San Francisco Symphony.

Awards and honors

Stephen Bechtel Jr. received many important awards for his work. In 1990, he became a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He won the Hoover Medal in 1980, an award that celebrates engineers who help others. In 1998, he and his son Riley got the Honor Award from the National Building Museum for their company's work building things. He also got the Award of Excellence from Engineering News-Record for leading Bechtel Corporation well.

In 1991, he was given the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by the US President, George H. W. Bush.

Personal life

Stephen Bechtel Jr. and his wife, Betty, had two sons and three daughters. One of their sons, Riley Bechtel, later became the chairman and chief executive of the Bechtel Corporation. Bechtel loved nature and hiking. He once walked to the Everest base camp and also hiked the entire John Muir Trail, a journey over 211 miles.

Bechtel passed away on March 15, 2021, at his home in San Francisco, California. He was 95 years old.

Books

Here is a book about the Bechtel Corporation:

• McCartney, Laton (1989). Friends in high places: the Bechtel story: the most secret corporation and how it engineered the world. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-36044-3. OCLC (https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/19642636).