Alf R. Bjercke: Difference between revisions
He was an airframe mechanic, not pilot |
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He was born in Oslo as a grandson of [[Alf Bjercke]].<ref name=snl>{{cite encyclopedia|year=2007|title=Alf Richard Bjercke|encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]]|editor=Henriksen, Petter|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|url=http://snl.no/Alf_Richard_Bjercke|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2 November 2009}}</ref> Alf Bjercke (1851–1933) was a notable businessman, especially within paint and [[lacquer]], and politician.<ref>http://snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Alf_Bjercke/utdypning</ref> Both are descendants of politician [[Lars Thorstensen Tønsager]].<ref name=rb>{{cite news|url=http://www.rb.no/lokal_kultur/article1765855.ece|title=Bondehæren som unngikk storkrig|last=Karlsson|first=Terje|date=2 October 2005|work=Romerikes Blad|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2 November 2009}}</ref> |
He was born in Oslo as a grandson of [[Alf Bjercke]].<ref name=snl>{{cite encyclopedia|year=2007|title=Alf Richard Bjercke|encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]]|editor=Henriksen, Petter|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|url=http://snl.no/Alf_Richard_Bjercke|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2 November 2009}}</ref> Alf Bjercke (1851–1933) was a notable businessman, especially within paint and [[lacquer]], and politician.<ref>http://snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Alf_Bjercke/utdypning</ref> Both are descendants of politician [[Lars Thorstensen Tønsager]].<ref name=rb>{{cite news|url=http://www.rb.no/lokal_kultur/article1765855.ece|title=Bondehæren som unngikk storkrig|last=Karlsson|first=Terje|date=2 October 2005|work=Romerikes Blad|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2 November 2009}}</ref> |
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Alf R. Bjercke attended primary school at [[Majorstuen]], in a class together with [[Øistein Parmann]], [[Birger Mathisen]] and [[Rolf Kirkvaag]].<ref name=aft80>{{cite news|title=Entusiasten Bjercke jubilerer|last=Brøymer|first=Bjørn|date=30 May 2001|work=Aftenposten|pages=14|language=Norwegian}}</ref> He later took what he himself has described as a "lousy" [[examen artium]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Alf Bazooka|last=Bang|first=Per|date=19 October 1991|work=Dagens Næringsliv|pages=37|language=Norwegian}}</ref> He studied chemical technology at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] from 1939 to 1941.<ref name=snl/> His studies were then interrupted, because of Bjercke's wish to participate in [[World War II]].<ref name=mit>{{cite news|url=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2003/bjercke.html|title=Busy 82-year-old alumnus in home stretch for his Ph.D.|accessdate=2009-10-31}}</ref> He served with the [[Royal Norwegian Air Force]]-in-exile, in Canada and the United Kingdom, from 1941 to 1945.<ref name=snl/> He did not return to MIT after the war, but instead started a career in the family business.<ref name=mit/> He also served in the Air Force from 1948 to 1949, and reached the rank of major.<ref name=ntb>{{cite news|title=Alf Bjercke 80 år 30. mai|last=Norwegian News Agency|date=9 May 2001|language=Norwegian}}</ref> |
Alf R. Bjercke attended primary school at [[Majorstuen]], in a class together with [[Øistein Parmann]], [[Birger Mathisen]] and [[Rolf Kirkvaag]].graduated from Frogner Sec.School 1939 with Real Artium <ref name=aft80>{{cite news|title=Entusiasten Bjercke jubilerer|last=Brøymer|first=Bjørn|date=30 May 2001|work=Aftenposten|pages=14|language=Norwegian}}</ref> He later took what he himself has described as a "lousy" [[examen artium]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Alf Bazooka|last=Bang|first=Per|date=19 October 1991|work=Dagens Næringsliv|pages=37|language=Norwegian}}</ref> He studied chemical technology at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] from 1939 to 1941.<ref name=snl/> His studies were then interrupted, because of Bjercke's wish to participate in [[World War II]].<ref name=mit>{{cite news|url=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2003/bjercke.html|title=Busy 82-year-old alumnus in home stretch for his Ph.D.|accessdate=2009-10-31}}</ref> He served with the [[Royal Norwegian Air Force]]-in-exile, in Canada and the United Kingdom, from 1941 to 1945.<ref name=snl/> He did not return to MIT after the war, but instead started a career in the family business.<ref name=mit/> He also served in the Air Force from 1948 to 1949, and reached the rank of major as Senior Intelligence Officer in NATO's Northern HQ..<ref name=ntb>{{cite news|title=Alf Bjercke 80 år 30. mai|last=Norwegian News Agency|date=9 May 2001|language=Norwegian}}</ref> |
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==Business career== |
==Business career== |
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Revision as of 13:26, 3 January 2011
Alf Richard Bjercke (born 30 May 1921) is a Norwegian business magnate, consul and sports official.
Early life
He was born in Oslo as a grandson of Alf Bjercke.[1] Alf Bjercke (1851–1933) was a notable businessman, especially within paint and lacquer, and politician.[2] Both are descendants of politician Lars Thorstensen Tønsager.[3]
Alf R. Bjercke attended primary school at Majorstuen, in a class together with Øistein Parmann, Birger Mathisen and Rolf Kirkvaag.graduated from Frogner Sec.School 1939 with Real Artium [4] He later took what he himself has described as a "lousy" examen artium.[5] He studied chemical technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1939 to 1941.[1] His studies were then interrupted, because of Bjercke's wish to participate in World War II.[6] He served with the Royal Norwegian Air Force-in-exile, in Canada and the United Kingdom, from 1941 to 1945.[1] He did not return to MIT after the war, but instead started a career in the family business.[6] He also served in the Air Force from 1948 to 1949, and reached the rank of major as Senior Intelligence Officer in NATO's Northern HQ..[7]
Business career
In 1950 he became co-owner of the family company, named Alf Bjercke. He served as CEO from 1966 to 1971. When Alf Bjercke (the company) was incorporated into Jotun in 1972, Bjercke served as chairman of the board until 1983 and then chaired the corporate council until 1988.[1] He has also chaired the employers' association for paint and coating companies.[7] He has also started other companies and brands, including Fjordplast[7] and the first Norwegian bottled water brand Norwater.[8] From 1963 to 1993 he was the consul-general for Tunisia in Norway.[1]
Research
At the age of 69, Bjercke took up private research on Norwegian dragoons in Schleswig-Holstein from 1758 to 1762. These dragoons were border guards, but never saw military action.[9] His interest in the topic spawned when he discovered that a distant ancestor from the Eidsvoll area had been such a dragoon.[3] In 1999 the University of Kiel published a work by Bjercke, Norwegische Kätnersöhne als königliche Dragoner. He would try to submit this work to the University of Oslo as a thesis, possibly earning the dr.philos. degree. An obstacle was his lack of a formal degree of higher education.[9] The candidacy for the doctorate met opposition in the university, and the case was delayed for several years[10] before the university finally rejected to take it up for doctoral assessment.[3]
Bjercke has also released an autobiography: Back-up av et rikt liv (2001),[11] as well as many other books.
Organizations
Bjercke was among the founders of the Anders Lange Party, later known as the Progress Party. He later resigned his membership because he disagreed on a number of issues.[12] From 1974 to 1976 he was a board member of the Oslo Conservative Party.[7] Some time around Siv Jensen's takeover as party leader he rejoined the Progress Party.[12]
Bjercke was also a founder of the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers, and has been a board member. He has also held board/council memberships in the Norad (Norway), the World Wildlife Fund, Norway and the Norway-America Association, and has been involved in Rotary International.[7] He has been an initiator for restoration of the boat Skibladner for traffic,[4] and has chaired the board that is responsible for the ship Christian Radich. He chaired the Norwegian Athletics Association from 1968 to 1972, and was a member of the Norwegian Olympic Committee during the same period.[7]
Bjercke has been decorated with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, and has also been decorated by the Tunisian state and Rotary International.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e Henriksen, Petter, ed. (2007). "Alf Richard Bjercke". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
- ^ http://snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Alf_Bjercke/utdypning
- ^ a b c Karlsson, Terje (2 October 2005). "Bondehæren som unngikk storkrig". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2 November 2009.
- ^ a b Brøymer, Bjørn (30 May 2001). "Entusiasten Bjercke jubilerer". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 14.
- ^ Bang, Per (19 October 1991). "Alf Bazooka". Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). p. 37.
- ^ a b "Busy 82-year-old alumnus in home stretch for his Ph.D." Retrieved 2009-10-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g Norwegian News Agency (9 May 2001). "Alf Bjercke 80 år 30. mai" (in Norwegian).
- ^ Andersen, Espen (15 April 2008). "Historien om Norwater" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Haugestad, Erik (29 July 1999). "Malingfabrikanten og hans dragoner". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 8.
- ^ Sandberg, Tor (25 February 2003). "Skjebnedag for Bjercke". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). p. 5.
- ^ Entry in BIBSYS
- ^ a b Hansen, Lars Ditlev (1 August 2008). "Norske forbilder". A-magasinet (in Norwegian). p. 6.