Barbara Cox Anthony
Barbara Blair Cox Anthony | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | May 28, 2007 (aged 84) |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman, media executive, philanthropist |
| Known for | Media ownership, philanthropy, Cox Enterprises board member |
Barbara Blair Cox Anthony (born December 8, 1922 – passed away May 28, 2007) was the youngest child of James M. Cox, who served as a Democratic governor of Ohio and was also a newspaper publisher and broadcaster. Together with her siblings, Anne Cox Chambers and James M. Cox, Jr., she inherited their father's business interests, which have since evolved into Cox Enterprises. Following the death of her brother in 1974, the two sisters acquired his ownership stake equally.
Her wealth was estimated at approximately $12 billion, largely derived from her holdings in Cox Enterprises, ranking her among the wealthiest women in the United States and the richest individual residing in Hawaii.
Anthony held a position on the board of directors for Cox Enterprises, a prominent and diversified media corporation in the United States. The company manages one of the nation's largest cable television providers that also delivers internet and telephone services. Its portfolio includes newspaper publications such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Palm Beach Post, ownership of broadcast television and radio stations, and Manheim, a leading vehicle auction company. Additionally, it maintains investments in online ventures like AutoTrader.com, recognized as the largest automotive marketplace worldwide. Her son, James C. Kennedy, currently chairs Cox Enterprises.
In Hawaii, Anthony was well-regarded for her philanthropic efforts; she co-established La Pietra: Hawaii School for Girls and served as its chairperson from 1978 until her passing in 2007. She also funded two endowed professorships specializing in equine health at Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
Personal life
Anthony entered into matrimony four times. Her first spouse, naval aviator Bradford Ripley, lost his life during World War II; their marriage produced no offspring. With her second husband, airline executive Stanley C. Kennedy, Jr., she had two children: James C. Kennedy, who later became chairman of Cox Enterprises, and Blair Parry-Okeden, recognized as Australia's wealthiest woman. This marriage ended in divorce. Her third husband was contractor James W. Glover, who died several years after their union. Her fourth marriage was to Garner Anthony, Jr., who held the role of chairman at Cox Enterprises from 1974 to 1987 before his stepson James Kennedy succeeded him. Under the name Mrs. Bradford Williams Ripley II, she had the honor of sponsoring the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CVB 41), performing its christening ceremony at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia during its 1945 launch.