William M. Ellinghaus: Difference between revisions

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Ellinghaus started his career with the [[Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company]] of Maryland as a phone-installer. He went on to become the company's vice president in 1960 before joining [[AT&T]] as a vice president of the [[New York Telephone Company]]. He became a president with the company in 1970 and a vice chairman with AT&T in 1976.<ref name=":1" />
Ellinghaus started his career with the [[Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company]] of Maryland as a phone-installer. He went on to become the company's vice president in 1960 before joining [[AT&T]] as a vice president of the [[New York Telephone Company]]. He became a president with the company in 1970 and a vice chairman with AT&T in 1976.<ref name=":1" />


He became the company's president and chief operating officer in February 1979.<ref name=":1" /> As a president of the company he oversaw the company's [[Breakup of the Bell System|breakup]] in the early 1980s when AT&T's regional [[Bell System]] was disinvested into independent telephone companies as a settlement for [[United States Department of Justice]] led [[antitrust case]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Witte|first=Griff|last2=Noguchi|first2=Yuki|date=2005-02-01|title=End of the Line For Ma Bell|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2005/02/01/end-of-the-line-for-ma-bell/9f42b619-20f3-42fd-9dfd-dc5cc6ea4a71/|access-date=2022-01-06|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106220721/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2005/02/01/end-of-the-line-for-ma-bell/9f42b619-20f3-42fd-9dfd-dc5cc6ea4a71/|url-status=live}}</ref> After a career spanning 44 years, he retired in 1984.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=William Ellinghaus, president and chief operating officer of American...|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/12/12/William-Ellinghaus-president-and-chief-operating-officer-of-American/1541440053200/|access-date=2022-01-06|website=UPI|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106055514/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/12/12/William-Ellinghaus-president-and-chief-operating-officer-of-American/1541440053200/|url-status=live}}</ref> During his time at the company he was known as a 'trouble-shooter' resolving among other events, a New York telephone workers' strike in 1971 that brought installation works to a standstill for many weeks, restoration of service after a major fire at the company's [[switching center]] in [[Manhattan]], and various rate negotiations with the state of New York.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" />
He became the company's president and chief operating officer in February 1979.<ref name=":1" /> As a president of the company he oversaw the company's [[Breakup of the Bell System|breakup]] in the early 1980s when AT&T's regional [[Bell System]] was disinvested into independent telephone companies as a settlement for [[United States Department of Justice]] led [[antitrust case]] ''[[United States v. AT&T]]''.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Witte|first=Griff|last2=Noguchi|first2=Yuki|date=2005-02-01|title=End of the Line For Ma Bell|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2005/02/01/end-of-the-line-for-ma-bell/9f42b619-20f3-42fd-9dfd-dc5cc6ea4a71/|access-date=2022-01-06|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106220721/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2005/02/01/end-of-the-line-for-ma-bell/9f42b619-20f3-42fd-9dfd-dc5cc6ea4a71/|url-status=live}}</ref> After a career spanning 44 years, he retired in 1984.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=William Ellinghaus, president and chief operating officer of American...|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/12/12/William-Ellinghaus-president-and-chief-operating-officer-of-American/1541440053200/|access-date=2022-01-06|website=UPI|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106055514/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/12/12/William-Ellinghaus-president-and-chief-operating-officer-of-American/1541440053200/|url-status=live}}</ref> During his time at the company he was known as a 'trouble-shooter' resolving among other events, a New York telephone workers' strike in 1971 that brought installation works to a standstill for many weeks, restoration of service after a major fire at the company's [[switching center]] in [[Manhattan]], and various rate negotiations with the state of New York.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" />


Earlier, in 1975, he was made the chairman of the New York [[Municipal Assistance Corporation]], and later a member of the [[Emergency Financial Control Board]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Prial|first=Frank J.|date=1975-08-05|title=Major Trouble Shooter|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/05/archives/major-trouble-shooter-william-maurice-ellinghaus.html|access-date=2022-01-06|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106063647/https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/05/archives/major-trouble-shooter-william-maurice-ellinghaus.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Along with others including American investment banker [[Felix Rohatyn]], he was drafted to help rescue New York through a [[fiscal crisis]]. The city was running a huge [[budget deficit]] with reduced tax earnings resulting in low cash supply for driving its [[operating expense]]s. When a federal bailout plea was rejected, the group took over the city's [[Fiscal policy|fiscal management]]. The group imposed cuts in city services spending and eventually led the city out of the fiscal crisis and from default.<ref name=":0" />
Earlier, in 1975, he was made the chairman of the New York [[Municipal Assistance Corporation]], and later a member of the [[Emergency Financial Control Board]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Prial|first=Frank J.|date=1975-08-05|title=Major Trouble Shooter|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/05/archives/major-trouble-shooter-william-maurice-ellinghaus.html|access-date=2022-01-06|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106063647/https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/05/archives/major-trouble-shooter-william-maurice-ellinghaus.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Along with others including American investment banker [[Felix Rohatyn]], he was drafted to help rescue New York through a [[fiscal crisis]]. The city was running a huge [[budget deficit]] with reduced tax earnings resulting in low cash supply for driving its [[operating expense]]s. When a federal bailout plea was rejected, the group took over the city's [[Fiscal policy|fiscal management]]. The group imposed cuts in city services spending and eventually led the city out of the fiscal crisis and from default.<ref name=":0" />
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Ellinghaus also served as the executive vice-president of the [[New York Stock Exchange]] between 1984 and 1986, and the chairman of the New York area [[PBS]] station [[WNET]] between 1984 and 1990.<ref name=":0" /> He was also appointed the United States' chairman for the [[United Nations Day]] in 1983 by the then president [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 97.djvu/1661 - Wikisource, the free online library|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:United_States_Statutes_at_Large_Volume_97.djvu/1661|access-date=2022-01-06|website=en.wikisource.org|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106061012/https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:United_States_Statutes_at_Large_Volume_97.djvu/1661|url-status=live}}</ref> Ellinghaus was also the head of the [[National Arts Stabilization Fund]] which provided grants to various arts groups.<ref name=":0" />
Ellinghaus also served as the executive vice-president of the [[New York Stock Exchange]] between 1984 and 1986, and the chairman of the New York area [[PBS]] station [[WNET]] between 1984 and 1990.<ref name=":0" /> He was also appointed the United States' chairman for the [[United Nations Day]] in 1983 by the then president [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 97.djvu/1661 - Wikisource, the free online library|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:United_States_Statutes_at_Large_Volume_97.djvu/1661|access-date=2022-01-06|website=en.wikisource.org|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106061012/https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:United_States_Statutes_at_Large_Volume_97.djvu/1661|url-status=live}}</ref> Ellinghaus was also the head of the [[National Arts Stabilization Fund]] which provided grants to various arts groups.<ref name=":0" />


==Personal life and death==
==Personal life==
Ellinghaus married his high school classmate Erlaine (née Dietrich) in 1942 and was married until her death in 2008. He then married Ruth Kelly Miller in 2010.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Ellinghaus died at his home in [[Bronxville, New York]], on January 4, 2022, at the age of 99.<ref name=":0" />
Ellinghaus married his high school classmate Erlaine (née Dietrich) in 1942 and was married until her death in 2008. He then married Ruth Kelly Miller in 2010.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Ellinghaus died at his home in [[Bronxville, New York]], on January 4, 2022, at the age of 99.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[Breakup of the Bell System]]
* ''[[United States v. AT&T]]''


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 01:37, 7 January 2022

William M. Ellinghaus
Born
William Maurice Ellinghaus

(1922-04-19)April 19, 1922
DiedJanuary 4, 2022(2022-01-04) (aged 99)
Known forAmerican business executive; President and COO of AT&T during the early 1980s

William Maurice Ellinghaus (April 19, 1922 – January 4, 2022) was an American business executive who had served as the president and chief operating officer of the American multinational company AT&T. He was the president of the company during its breakup in the 1980s as a settlement to a United States Department of Justice led antitrust case. He also served in New York's Emergency Financial Control Board in the 1970s helping the city through a fiscal crisis and preventing a default.

Early life

Ellinghaus was born on April 19, 1922, in Baltimore, Maryland to Medora (née Watkins) and N. Andrew Ellinghaus. He was the second of three siblings. His father worked with the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company. Ellinghaus grew up in Baltimore and studied at the Forest Park High School and graduated from the school in 1940.[1] He served the US Navy as a reserve sonarman between 1943 and 1945.[1]

Career

Ellinghaus started his career with the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company of Maryland as a phone-installer. He went on to become the company's vice president in 1960 before joining AT&T as a vice president of the New York Telephone Company. He became a president with the company in 1970 and a vice chairman with AT&T in 1976.[2]

He became the company's president and chief operating officer in February 1979.[2] As a president of the company he oversaw the company's breakup in the early 1980s when AT&T's regional Bell System was disinvested into independent telephone companies as a settlement for United States Department of Justice led antitrust case United States v. AT&T.[1][3] After a career spanning 44 years, he retired in 1984.[2] During his time at the company he was known as a 'trouble-shooter' resolving among other events, a New York telephone workers' strike in 1971 that brought installation works to a standstill for many weeks, restoration of service after a major fire at the company's switching center in Manhattan, and various rate negotiations with the state of New York.[4][1]

Earlier, in 1975, he was made the chairman of the New York Municipal Assistance Corporation, and later a member of the Emergency Financial Control Board.[4] Along with others including American investment banker Felix Rohatyn, he was drafted to help rescue New York through a fiscal crisis. The city was running a huge budget deficit with reduced tax earnings resulting in low cash supply for driving its operating expenses. When a federal bailout plea was rejected, the group took over the city's fiscal management. The group imposed cuts in city services spending and eventually led the city out of the fiscal crisis and from default.[1]

Ellinghaus also served as the executive vice-president of the New York Stock Exchange between 1984 and 1986, and the chairman of the New York area PBS station WNET between 1984 and 1990.[1] He was also appointed the United States' chairman for the United Nations Day in 1983 by the then president Ronald Reagan.[5] Ellinghaus was also the head of the National Arts Stabilization Fund which provided grants to various arts groups.[1]

Personal life

Ellinghaus married his high school classmate Erlaine (née Dietrich) in 1942 and was married until her death in 2008. He then married Ruth Kelly Miller in 2010.[1][4] Ellinghaus died at his home in Bronxville, New York, on January 4, 2022, at the age of 99.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i McFadden, Robert D. (2022-01-05). "William M. Ellinghaus Dies at 99; Presided Over AT&T Breakup". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  2. ^ a b c "William Ellinghaus, president and chief operating officer of American..." UPI. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  3. ^ Witte, Griff; Noguchi, Yuki (2005-02-01). "End of the Line For Ma Bell". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  4. ^ a b c Prial, Frank J. (1975-08-05). "Major Trouble Shooter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  5. ^ "Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 97.djvu/1661 - Wikisource, the free online library". en.wikisource.org. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-01-06.