August Busch III
August Anheuser Busch III | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 16, 1937 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1960–2006 (Anheuser-Busch) |
| Known for | Chairman of Anheuser-Busch |
August Anheuser Busch III (born June 16, 1937) is a direct descendant, specifically the great-grandson, of Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch. He held the position of chairman at the company until November 30, 2006. Within the Anheuser-Busch community, he is often referred to by nicknames such as "Auggie," "The Third," or "Three Sticks." He is also the father of August Busch IV.
Early life
Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Busch completed his high school education at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in 1956. He attended the University of Arizona but did not graduate. Following a directive from his father, he started his career at Anheuser-Busch in an entry-level role. During 1960 and 1961, he furthered his expertise by completing the Course in Brewing Technology at the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago.
Career
Busch held multiple leadership roles at Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., serving as President from 1974 until June 2002, CEO from 1975 to June 2002, and chairman of the Board from 1977 through 2006. His successor was Patrick Stokes, marking a historic moment as the first non-family member to oversee daily operations. On November 30, 2006, Busch stepped down from his executive duties and passed on the chairmanship to Stokes the following day.
Since October 1983, he has been a board member of AT&T Inc., having previously served on the board of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company between 1980 and 1983. Throughout his tenure, he collaborated with CEOs Ed Whitacre (SBC/AT&T) and Charlie Knight (Emerson Electric) on various boards where they approved substantial executive compensation plans. At Anheuser-Busch, Busch leads the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and is actively involved in both the Corporate Development and Executive Committees.
As of 2007, he continues to serve as a Director for Emerson Electric Co..
Personal life
August Anheuser Busch III has entered into marriage twice. His first union with Susan in 1963 resulted in two children: August Anheuser Busch IV and Susan Busch-Transou; this marriage ended in divorce in 1969. His second wife, Virginia, who practices law, is mother to his younger children Steven Busch and Virginia "Ginny" Busch.
In contrast to his father Gussie Busch's political affiliations, August III has consistently supported the Republican Party throughout his life, providing financial backing to figures such as Senator John McCain and President George W. Bush. Conversely, his eldest son August IV aligns with the Democratic Party, mirroring their grandfather's political leanings.
All four offspring hold positions within Anheuser-Busch’s business operations: August IV has served as president and CEO; Susie along with her spouse manage Tri-Eagle Sales, a distribution company based in Florida; Steven previously worked as an executive assistant to his father and currently owns Krey Distributing Company in Missouri; Ginny is employed by Busch Entertainment Company overseeing operations at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. Both August III and his father were honored with induction into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2005.
Additionally, August III arranged for Mike IV—the live Bengal tiger mascot for LSU from 1976 to 1989—to be donated; Mike IV was originally born at Busch Gardens Tampa in 1974.