AP News, December 6th, 2007
Robert O. Anderson, whose two-decade tenure as chief executive officer of the Atlantic Richfield Co. included the discovery of North America's largest oil field, had died. He was 90.
Anderson, who later formed the Hondo Oil & Gas Co., died Sunday at his home in Roswell, his family said.
Anderson graduated from the University of Chicago in 1939 and went on to work for the American Mineral Spirits Co. He later purchased a small oil refinery in southeastern New Mexico and bought and expanded several other refineries.
He served as chief executive officer of ARCO for 17 years. He also was chairman of the board for 21 years. During his tenure, ARCO announced the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska's North Slope in 1968. It was the largest oil field discovery ever in North America.
He retired from ARCO in 1986 and formed the Hondo Oil & Gas, serving as CEO until he retired in 1994.
"He was one of the greatest businessmen I think I have ever worked with," said Don Kendall, a former chief executive officer of PepsiCo.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., called Anderson a "rare individual" whose contributions went beyond energy and business.
"There is a Bible verse that says to whom much is given, from him much will be required," Domenici said. "Robert understood this and actively parlayed his business success to education, civic and charitable causes. That will be his lasting legacy."
Anderson sat on the board of regents at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology from 1987 to 1992 and was named as a distinguished professor in 1994.
The University of New Mexico named its business school the Robert O. Anderson School of Management in his honor.
Anderson also served as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 1961 through 1964 and was a member of numerous boards, including Chase Manhattan Bank, First National Bank of Chicago, the National Petroleum Council and Pan American Airlines.
